An organized group operated in the Kyiv region, which, under the guise of exporting agricultural products, embezzled funds from foreign buyers. According to the investigation, among the victims were residents of Germany, Croatia, and Israel. The total losses from the activities of pseudo-exporters amounted to more than 600 thousand euros.
This was reported to the Prosecutor General's Office and the National Police on May 11.
Law enforcement officers have established that a group of individuals operated in the Kyiv region, which created and used controlled enterprises to conclude fictitious contracts for the supply of agricultural products abroad. The buyers were mainly foreign citizens, in particular from the European Union countries, the Prosecutor General's Office said.
As reported by the National Police, a 41-year-old woman and a 42-year-old man, who live in Hostomel, are suspected of organizing the fraudulent scheme.
The sofa where the money was found. Attorney General's Office
“The organizer of the scheme, who is fluent in several foreign languages, kept in touch with potential buyers directly. The woman introduced herself as a sales manager, demonstrated economic awareness, the feasibility of concluding a deal, and assured of the safety of cooperation, the availability of products, and favorable prices for them,” the report says.
If she agreed, the suspect would sign contracts for the supply of products on behalf of the directors of the companies. The main condition was to transfer a 30% deposit from the amount of the contract, law enforcement officials noted.
According to the investigation, the foreigners transferred the funds to the accounts of fictitious enterprises. From there, the money was withdrawn in cash, transferred to other controlled accounts and then used at their own discretion. After the transaction with the deposit was received, all contacts with the foreigners were stopped.
According to the police, law enforcement officers conducted searches in Kyiv, Kyiv region, Volyn, Zakarpattia, Dnipropetrovsk and Cherkasy regions at the residences of all members of the criminal group. During the searches, documents, office equipment, cars, cash in various currencies and other valuables equivalent to 11 million hryvnias were seized.
“The organizers and co-organizers of the scam were informed of the suspicion by the investigators of the State Investigation Department of the National Police of Ukraine” Part 5 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The sanction of the article provides for up to 12 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property. for fraud committed on a particularly large scale. Further investigative actions are underway, with the aim of bringing all participants in the exposed scheme to justice,” the National Police noted.