They extorted $60,000 from relatives of Ukrainian prisoners of war, promising an exchange: SBU detains two fraudsters

They extorted $60,000 from relatives of Ukrainian prisoners of war, promising an exchange: SBU detains two fraudsters

Kyiv  •  UNN

February 20 2024, 12:56 PM • 21894 views

The Security Service of Ukraine detained two fraudsters who extorted $60,000 from relatives of Ukrainian prisoners of war, promising an exchange.

The Security Service of Ukraine detained two fraudsters who extorted money from relatives of Ukrainian prisoners of war, promising an exchange. Both suspects have already been notified of suspicion, the SBU press service reports, UNN writes.

Details

According to the report, the SBU detained two fraudsters red-handed in the capital who extorted $60,000 from relatives of two captured Ukrainian soldiers, promising to transfer the money to members of Russian occupation groups to include the prisoners of war in "exchange lists.

According to the available data, the perpetrators had connections among the militants and remotely received information about Ukrainian prisoners from them. At the same time, the participants of the "scheme" were not going to return the Ukrainian soldiers home. To be more convincing, the criminals posed as law enforcement officers when communicating with relatives of captured Ukrainian soldiers,

- the statement said.

Law enforcement officers detained the suspects during the transfer of the last "tranche". During the searches of the detainees' homes, law enforcement officers seized forged law enforcement IDs, a business card of a representative of a Russian "non-governmental" organization, "prices" for confidential information about Ukrainian citizens and other material evidence.

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The SBU investigators served both suspects a notice of suspicion under Part 1 Art. 111-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (aiding the aggressor state). The investigation is ongoing. The offenders face up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.

Recall

Indictments against a 23-year-old woman and a 49-year-old man who, having conspired with the Russian invaders , performed tasks as part of the occupation law enforcement agency, have been sent to the court in Kharkiv region.