The SSU cyber units and the Cyber Police have neutralized a criminal organization that was stealing money from Ukrainian bank cards.

The criminals are responsible for almost 70% of all fraudulent schemes that have been used against a leading state-owned Ukrainian bank. The number of deceived customers amounts to tens of thousands.

According to the investigation, almost 30 inmates of Vinnytsia penal colony were involved in the scheme. While serving their time behind bars, they called depositors of financial institutions and stole their money under the pretext of ‘providing online services’.

The criminal activity was organized by the so-called ‘overseer’ of one of the penitentiaries in Vinnytsia oblast, a prisoner ‘Gesha’.

He involved up to 30 individuals, most of whom were serving their terms in the jail or were their accomplices who had already been released.

The fraudsters called the bank customers and introduced themselves as ‘security officers’ of the financial institution. The criminals then informed depositors that ‘fraudsters were trying to hack their payment cards’.

To ‘protect their savings from thieves’, the swindlers offered citizens to transfer funds to a so-called ‘security account’ through an online application.

Misleading the victims, they forced them to transfer their money to the prisoners’ bank accounts. After that, their accomplices at large withdrew cash and handed it over to the ‘gang’s coffers’.

During 27 simultaneous searches of the suspects’ homes, the SSU seized:

• the criminals’ mobile phones, laptops, sim cards and records;
• bank cards and cash - proceeds of crime.

Based on the evidence, 10 offenders have been served notices of suspicion under several Articles of the CCU, including:

• 2 individuals - under Article 255-1.2 (establishment and spreading of criminal influence, committed in penitentiary institutions), 190.4 (fraud);
• 1 individual - under Article 255.5 (creation, management of a criminal organization by a person with a status of a subject of increased criminal influence, including the status of a ‘thief in law’), 190.4 (fraud);
• 7 individuals - under Article 190.4 (fraud).

Five suspects were detained, and five prisoners were transferred to a disciplinary isolation ward of the penitentiary institution. The decisions to serve notices of suspicion to another 17 persons involved are pending.

The operation was carried out by the SSU Office in Kharkiv region jointly with the National Police under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor General’s Office.