Anti-corruption centre Mezha has identified the individuals in the ‘Carthage’ case who yesterday were served with notices of suspicion as members of a high-level criminal organisation involved in counterfeiting currency, distributing drugs, facilitating the unhindered operation of fraudulent call centres, and also kidnapping and torturing people. Investigators believe the organiser of the criminal group was a man with the codename ‘Criminal’. According to Mezha, this is Andrii Osipov, who has been convicted three times.
‘The Mexican’ is a Russian citizen, the founder of a drug syndicate, Yegor Levchenko (Burkin). He was placed on a wanted list in 2016, after which he fled to Ukraine, where he has also been wanted since 2019.
‘The Consultant’ is Oleksandr Demianchuk, deputy head of a department in the Criminal Investigation Directorate of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Kyiv Region. He is accused of providing operational cover and coordinating the perpetrators of violent crimes.
‘The Boxer’, who, according to investigators, together with ‘Pasha’ was an aide to ‘Criminal’, is an athlete from Zhytomyr Region named Vitalii Rybalko. They carried out all the ‘dirty work’.
‘Price’ is Volodymyr Tsenov, deputy head of the National Police’s Strategic Investigations Department. Investigators believe he was involved in ensuring the operation of the call centres.
‘Akim’ is an SBU major general. Ukrainska Pravda writes that this is Serhii Duka, deputy head of the SBU department for the protection of national statehood. According to the outlet, NABU detained him on 4 November. It was he who threatened NABU detectives with a weapon.
According to Ukrainska Pravda journalists, Tsenov was also detained.
What Is Known About the Second Criminal Organisation Exposed in Operation ‘Carthage’
On 4 November, NABU and the SAPO reported the exposure of another criminal organisation whose activities were investigated during the special operation ‘Carthage’. The first organisation was exposed in early September. It operated within the Office of the Prosecutor General and was involved in ensuring the operation of call centres in exchange for regular illicit benefits, as well as laundering illegally obtained funds.
The second organisation brought together several law enforcement agencies and representatives of the criminal underworld. NABU claims that certain representatives of the SBU, the National Police and the Office of the Prosecutor General were involved. The organiser is a citizen with three prior convictions who used long-standing ties with fellow law enforcement officers from Zhytomyr Region for criminal activity.
Another key suspect, ‘The Mexican’, has a long criminal past. According to investigators, he distributed drugs through the U420 chain of shops, which operated openly in various cities across Ukraine. The chain was shut down after an investigation by Bihus.info: journalists found that the products contained banned substances. In NABU-intercepted conversations, members of the organisation discussed taking revenge on Denys Bihus by throwing acid on him. They also discussed reprisals against opinion leaders.
Another line of the organisation’s activity was counterfeiting euros. The perpetrators set up a fully fledged printing workshop where they produced counterfeit banknotes.
They also carried out torture and kidnappings for hire — not only in Ukraine, but abroad as well.