The SSU Counterintelligence’s special operation has led to dismantling of a transnational criminal group that set up a scheme to obtain foreign citizenship using forged documents.

The SSU established that the illegal business was organized by residents of Ivano-Frankivsk and Chernivtsi regions through a foreign intermediary.

Members of the group counterfeited documents necessary to apply for foreign citizenship and ensured fast track submission of these documents jumping the main queue. Such services cost EUR 5,000.

Among their clients, the SSU identified Russian citizens, residents of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, as well as some former officials of local authorities.

The items seized during the search include:

• 60 sets of documents of Russian and Ukrainian citizens to apply for foreign citizenship;
• originals and copies of foreign passports;
• forged seals and stamps;
• fictitious extracts from civil registry office documents, which served as the basis for application;
• records related to the scheme;
• laptops, tablets, flash drives, mobile phones, hard drives with evidence of illegal activity.

Criminal proceedings have been launched to investigate crimes under Article 111 (treason), Article 209 (money laundering) and Article 358 (forgery and use of documents, seals, stamps and forms) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The investigators are to serve notices of suspicion to the organizers of the scheme.

The SSU carried out the operation under the supervision of Ivano-Frankivsk Region Prosecutor’s Office.