The SSU and the Prosecutor’s Office have shut down another draft evasion scheme in Ukraine’s western regions.

The organizer of the scheme, a local lawyer, was detained in Lviv region. During the searches of her house, investigators also apprehended her son-in-law, a former prosecutor who had been wanted for almost a year on suspicion of forgery.

The lawyer acted as part of a criminal group, which involved officials of medical institutions and the regional medical and social expert commission, as well as employees of Territorial Recruitment Centers in Lviv region.

The cost of the services reached USD 12,000 per person, and in total they managed to ‘make’ almost half a million US dollars.

The scheme operated in Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk regions.

Together with her accomplices, the lawyer assisted the evaders in updating their military registration data in state registers, and also provided fake certificates of disability.

Potential recruits used the illicit channel to illegally cross the border.

The law enforcement agencies detained the organizer of the scheme when she received an illegal payment of USD 3,500.

During the searches, almost UAH 1.5 million was found in her handbag, as well as written records with evidence of the crime.

The National Police served the detained lawyer a notice of suspicion under Article 369-2.3 of the CCU (acceptance of an offer, promise or receipt of an unlawful benefit for oneself or a third party for influencing the decision-making of a person authorized to perform state functions).

Custody was chosen as a measure of restraint. The investigation is ongoing.

The operation was carried out by the SSU Office in Lviv region jointly with the Ivano-Frankivsk Police under the procedural supervision of the military prosecutor’s office.