As part of joint actions with the National Police and under the supervision of Kyiv City Prosecutor’s Office, the SSU served a suspicion notice to another member of the criminal group that blackmailed foreigner nationals in Ukraine.

The man posed as an officer of the SSU and extorted money from foreigners in Ukraine. He and his accomplices threatened to deport them unless they gave them bribes.

One of the organizers of the scheme is a Ukrainian citizen, native of Syria.

The SSU documented that this individual convinced a Moroccan citizen to pay him, claiming that the money is for the SSU employees. She was forced to do so
to prevent revocation of her residence permit and her husband’s deportation.

The fraudster was detained ‘red-handed’ while receiving the payment.

At present, both offenders have been notified of suspicion. The court is to decide on the measure of restraint.

Pre-trail investigation is underway within the criminal proceeding opened under the following Articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:

• 190.2 (fraud),
• 27.4 (criminal complicity),
• 369.3 (bribery).