In Ukraine, a fraudulent crypto network has been exposed, which defrauded people of over UAH 40 million. Photo, video 29.07.2026 03:10 Ukrinform
Law enforcement officers have shut down a network of pseudo-investment fraud centers in various regions of Ukraine. Participants are suspected of seizing funds exceeding UAH 40 million from citizens of Ukraine and other countries under the guise of cryptocurrency investment.
Ukrinform reports this, citing the Office of the Prosecutor General.
According to preliminary data, approximately 800 individuals may have fallen victim to the fraudulent network’s activities. The total amount of damages incurred exceeds UAH 40 million.
The investigation indicates that the criminal scheme was orchestrated by two residents of Kharkiv. They established an extensive structure with a clear division of roles among participants, funded its operations, and implemented security measures. SMM specialists, managers, and so-called traders were engaged in the network’s operations.
“On Facebook and Instagram, they disseminated advertisements for ‘easy money,’ pseudo-investment courses, and purportedly profitable cryptocurrency operations. Further communication with potential victims was moved to WhatsApp, Telegram, and Discord. Employing social engineering techniques, specialized software, and modern communication tools, the organization’s members established trusting relationships with citizens and persuaded them to invest funds in fictitious investment projects,” the statement reads.
During conversations, they thoroughly investigated the victims’ financial situations: their savings, credit limits, valuable assets, as well as their ability to borrow money from relatives or acquaintances.
Law enforcement officers exposed a network of fraudulent centers / Photo: Office of the Prosecutor General 1 / 8
“Citizens were persuaded to transfer funds and crypto assets to controlled electronic wallets, conduct operations on fictitious investment platforms, and in some cases, grant remote access to their phones and computers. To create the illusion of successful investment, victims were shown fake profit growth. When individuals attempted to reclaim their invested funds, they were demanded additional payments, allegedly for taxes, commissions, insurance, or account unlocking,” the PGO informed.
The obtained digital assets were converted by scheme participants through cryptocurrency exchanges, cashed out, and appropriated.
Law enforcement officers documented conversations among the organization’s members, during which they discussed victims’ financial situations and the possibility of extracting additional funds from them.
“Specifically, one of the individuals involved stated his intention to obtain $100 USD from a woman with cancer, being fully aware of her diagnosis and difficult financial circumstances,” the PGO noted.
Currently, within the framework of the criminal proceedings, seven victims from Ukraine have been identified, who suffered damages totaling over UAH 10 million. The identification of other victims is ongoing.
To dismantle the criminal organization, law enforcement conducted 12 searches in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Ivano-Frankivsk.
During the investigative actions, computer equipment, mobile phones, vehicles, storage media, and other material evidence potentially confirming the fraudulent network’s operation were seized.
Four individuals, including two organizers, have been apprehended and informed of their suspicion of organizing and participating in a criminal organization, as well as fraud committed by an organized group and on a particularly large scale.
Their actions have been classified under Part 1, 2 of Article 255, Part 3 of Article 27, Part 4 of Article 28, and Parts 4, 5 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
At the prosecutors’ request, the court has imposed pre-trial detention on all four suspects. Bail has been set at UAH 40 million for each of the three suspects, including the two organizers. Another suspect faces bail of UAH 1.5 million.
Law enforcement is analyzing the seized equipment and digital data, identifying all victims, other participants in the criminal scheme, the flow of funds and crypto assets, as well as the final amount of damages incurred.
As previously reported by Ukrinform, law enforcement in Ternopil exposed a fraudulent scheme that targeted pensioners.
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Источник: www.ukrinform.ua