The SSU disrupted social security fraud involving residents of the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which included applying for benefits on behalf of the deceased.

The scheme, set up by a former law enforcement officer from Kostiantynivka, caused millions of state losses.

The offender forged documents using personal data of residents of the temporarily occupied territories and sent them to social security authorities. There, his accomplices ‘accepted’ the documents in the absence of applicants.

The payments were transferred to the fraudsters’ bank accounts. Every month, they misappropriated about UAH 400,000 (USD 15,349), operating for over a year.

The 11 searches at the offenders’ homes and offices of three state institutions led to the seizure of:

• forged and official documents;
• data storage devices, mobile phones, hard drives and personal computers with evidence of illegal activity;
• bank cards and false accounting records.

The offenders will be notified of suspicion of fraud and document forgery.

The investigation is ongoing to identify all the individuals involved.

The SSU is verifying if the proceeds of this crime were used to finance IAFs.

The SSU Office in Donetsk and Luhansk regions carried out the operation together with the National Police investigators under the supervision of Donetsk Region Prosecutor’s Office.