He disseminated false materials via Telegram and demanded money for their removal — a Ukrainian man in Berlin was notified of suspicion

A Ukrainian citizen residing in Germany has been notified of suspicion of extortion. According to the investigation, the suspect, together with other individuals, organized a scheme under which false and discrediting materials about individuals and legal entities were disseminated through information resources and a Telegram channel. The victims were then demanded to pay money for their removal and the cessation of further dissemination. This was reported by the press service of the Office of the Prosecutor General, reports UNN.

"Protecting the legitimate interests of businesses and countering schemes involving pressure on entrepreneurs and extortion of funds from them is one of the important areas of the prosecutor's office's work. Law enforcement officers respond to cases when business representatives become targets of threats, discrediting, or blackmail. At the same time, the fact that persons involved are abroad does not prevent the necessary procedural actions from being carried out. Thanks to international cooperation and legal assistance mechanisms, such actions can be conducted regardless of the suspects' location. Thus, a Ukrainian citizen residing in Germany has been notified of suspicion under Part 4 of Article 189 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The procedural actions were carried out on August 26, 2026, in Berlin במסגרת international legal assistance and through cooperation between the competent Ukrainian and German authorities," the statement said. 

According to the investigation, the suspect, together with other individuals, organized a scheme under which false and discrediting materials about individuals and legal entities were disseminated through information resources and a Telegram channel. The victims were then demanded to pay money for their removal and the cessation of further dissemination.

One of the episodes concerns publications dated May 20, 2026, regarding a leading corporation in the field of security services in Ukraine and its general director.

It is reported that, during electronic correspondence, a representative of the injured party was demanded to transfer 3,500 USDT for the removal of the publications. The funds were subsequently transferred to a cryptocurrency wallet that, according to the investigation, was linked to the suspect. After the funds were received, the relevant materials were removed from the Telegram channel and website.

During the investigation, it was established that the suspect resides in Berlin. In this regard, the Ukrainian side contacted the competent German authorities to duly serve the notification of suspicion and ensure his procedural rights.

According to information from the competent German authorities, the Ukrainian citizen has been in Germany since April 2022 and, since July of the same year, has held a residence permit pursuant to § 24 of the Residence Act (AufenthG).

"As part of international legal assistance, a search was also conducted on August 26 at his place of residence in Berlin. The investigative actions were aimed at locating electronic devices, documents, data carriers, and other materials that may have evidentiary value. Ukrainian law enforcement officers continue to establish all participants in the criminal offenses, their roles, and possible other episodes of unlawful activity. The facts presented demonstrate that being abroad is not an obstacle to carrying out the necessary procedural actions and bringing persons involved in criminal proceedings to justice," the Prosecutor General's Office added. 

Recall 

In Kyiv, a scheme was uncovered under which a conscription-eligible man was allegedly helped to obtain fraudulent Group III disability status for $10,000. Two residents of Mykolaiv, including a former Member of Parliament, were served with notices of suspicion.