The Security Service Of Ukraine and the National Police have dismantled a large-scale scheme to embezzle charitable donations meant for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The scheme operated in southern and eastern Ukraine.

As a result of the operation in Dnipro, Kharkiv, Odesa, and Kamyanske, six members of a criminal group that embezzled donations for Ukraine’s defense were detained simultaneously.

The investigation established that the perpetrators, posing as volunteers, raised funds supposedly to support Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines.

However, they allocated only 10% of the contributions to the needs of the front, and the remaining 90% was distributed among all participants in the fraud.

The scheme operated under the guise of a charitable foundation established in Dnipro by a local repeat offender, who is under investigation for drug trafficking.

He involved nine accomplices, who wore military uniforms. However, only two of the members had any connection to military service, being veterans.

To collect donations, they spread out across different cities and set up cash boxes on central streets.

In just one episode, the law enforcement documented the theft of UAH 556,000 in charitable donations.

During the searches of the fund’s office and the suspects’ homes, the investigators seized computer equipment, smartphones, and notes with evidence of the crime, as well as money donated for our defenders.

The head of the fund and five of his accomplices have been notified of suspicion under Article 201-2.3 of the CCU (illegal use for profit of humanitarian aid, charitable donations, or free assistance, committed upon prior conspiracy, by a group, during martial law).

The investigation is ongoing. The suspects face up to 7 years in prison with confiscation of property.

This criminal proceeding concerns only one charitable foundation and has no connection with other volunteer and charitable organizations in Ukraine.

The SSU highly values the volunteer and charitable movement that exists in our country. We urge citizens to help the security and defense forces in every way possible, but to be careful not to fall prey to fraudulent schemes.

The operation was carried out by the SSU Office in Dnipropetrovsk region in cooperation with the National Police under the procedural supervision of Dnipro Specialized Defense Prosecutor’s Office for the Eastern region.