The SSU and the National Police have apprehended fraudsters who stole money from the bank accounts of fallen servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

According to the investigation, the perpetrators withdrew the savings of the soldiers whose bodies were taken to Dnipro for forensic examination.

To steal the funds, they involved an employee of the regional forensic medicine bureau. He stole personal belongings of the fallen soldiers in the morgue.

Among the stolen items were payment cards and mobile phones, the numbers of which were registered in online banking.

The fraudsters used these devices to log in to banking applications and transfer money to their own accounts.

They also applied for online loans and then cashed them in at the nearest ATMs.

The criminals tried to complete the transactions quickly, before financial institutions received information about the death of the accounts’ real owners.

In this way, the thieves embezzled almost UAH 1.5 million belonging to the fallen defenders of Ukraine.

The SSU and the National Police detained all five participants of the scheme, who acted as a criminal group.

Apart from the forensic bureau employee, the gang included an IT specialist who hacked the banking apps of the victims and a repeat offender.

During the searches of the detainees’ homes and cars, the SSU seized mobile phones, SIM cards and bank cards of the suspects, as well as cards, personal belongings and uniforms of the deceased servicemen.

Based on the evidence, the individuals involved were notified of suspicion under the following Articles of the CCU:

• 190.4 (fraud, committed on a large scale);
• 185.4 (theft);
• 361.2 (unauthorized interference with the operation of information and communication systems, electronic communication networks, upon prior conspiracy, by a group);
• 358.1 (forgery of documents, seals, stamps and forms, sale or use of forged documents, seals, stamps).

The suspects are in custody and face up to 8 years in prison.

The operation was carried out under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor’s Office.