Police expose fraudsters who cheated money under the guise of helping children with disabilities

Fraudsters who cheated citizens out of more than UAH 12 million for allegedly helping children with disabilities have been served with a notice of suspicion. This was reported by the press service of the National Police of Ukraine, according to UNN.

To carry out the crime, the fraudsters opened three fraudulent call centers in Zhytomyr, employing more than 40 operators. Each of them had its own legend: some posed as volunteers and lured money under the pretext of helping children with disabilities, while others were helping orphanages and low-income families. In this way, they managed to swindle more than UAH 12 million,

Details

The operatives of the Criminal Investigation Department identified the organizer of the fraud - a 37-year-old resident of Kyiv, who involved and clearly distributed roles in the criminal organization among six residents of Zhytomyr, including her own sister.

For example, to cash out the illegally obtained funds, the accomplices used fictitious individual entrepreneurs who provided legal and consulting "services" and limited liability companies that sold construction materials and other goods or services that had nothing to do with charitable foundations.

To gain the trust of potential benefactors, the fraudsters used stories and photos of real sick children and low-income individuals. For example, taking advantage of the difficult financial situation of a mother of two children with disabilities, the fraudsters raised more than UAH 400,000 for the children's rehabilitation, but only transferred 20,000 to the family. The rest they pocketed for themselves,

The National Police conducted 35 authorized searches in Kyiv and Zhytomyr regions, during which investigators seized mobile terminals, computer equipment, seals of charitable foundations and other tools and means of committing crimes.

Addendum

Under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor General's Office, seven defendants were served a notice of suspicion of fraud committed on a large scale by an organized group (Part 5 of Art. 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The court has filed a motion to impose on the defendants a pre-trial restraint in the form of detention. They face up to twelve years in prison.

Recall

A group of fraudsters who defrauded more than 100 victims of 400 thousand hryvnias through Telegram channels will be tried in Kyiv .