The Security Service of Ukraine exposed fraudsters who extorted money from civilians for leaving the combat zone, in particular from Bakhmut and Vuhledar in the Donetsk region. SBU cyber specialists together with Polish law enforcement neutralised the transnational group of criminals.

This was reported by the SBU press service. It is noted that the fraudsters profited from residents of the frontline regions of Ukraine.

For various amounts of money, the dealers "guaranteed" people to take them to safer regions of the country. On average, the fraudsters estimated their "services" at UAH 30 thousand.

The offenders mostly deceived disabled people and parents of young children using groups on social media and messengers. The fraudsters took 50% of the advance payment for their "services".

The bank cards used by the criminals to transfer money to their clients were registered in the names of fictitious persons.

After receiving the money, the fraudsters disappeared and never contacted the victims again.

Using this scheme, they cheated people out of more than UAH 1.5 million.

Another "target audience" of the criminals were men of military age, whom they promised to produce false documents for leaving Ukraine for a "fee".

The SBU conducted a special operation in different regions of Ukraine, during which it managed to detain one of the organisers of the fraudulent scheme. He was a resident of the Zhytomyr region. He was the one who contacted people, offering them evacuation.

Two more organisers of the scheme, citizens of Ukraine, are currently in one of the EU countries. The SBU and its European partners are working on their detention and extradition.

Law enforcement officers conducted searches at the criminals' residences in several regions of Ukraine and found mobile phones containing evidence of illegal activity and 10 bank cards used by the fraudsters to receive money.

The detained organiser of the criminal group has already been served a notice of suspicion under Part 3 Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (fraud).

The issue of choosing a custody as a measure of restraint is currently being decided.

As OBOZREVATEL previously reported, the SBU eliminated three schemes to evade mobilisation in Ukraine. The detainees include the head of the military medical commission and a lawyer.

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