From "for the treatment of children" to the "needs of the Armed Forces": how fraudsters adapt to the war

Near the metro station "Heroes of the Dnieper" people in military uniform, which are represented by volunteers, raised money allegedly for the help of the Armed Forces. They were paid attention to the veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war, the volunteer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleg Simorosis. "Visited one of the cash collection points of the fraudulent organization" Save your home country ", headed by Nikolai Osaul. I can't tell you anything good.

Me as a veteran overwhelmed emotions because we were on the spot for these few hours Mucking about the wounded military, aunts, " - said Simorosis on Facebook. Young people who raise money on the Armed Forces were not military personnel, but at the same time worked. As it turned out, men work for a salary that the fund pays them from the money raised from passers -by. "Given that it is cash, it is impossible to account for it, so fraudsters like cash rates so much.

Further part of the money for the pocket, well on the Armed Forces a little, because it is necessary to gratify the guys to the boys, because the business has to work. The scheme is dull as a door," - - - added a veteran. In conversation with focus, Simorosis noted that after a wide resonance, the National Police began a check on the legality of the Charity Fund's activities.

Volunteers, according to the veteran, in the future may declare suspicion not only of fraud, but also of threats against the veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war. According to law enforcement officers, on November 16, police took five representatives of the charity fund to the territorial police department. Their activities were qualified under Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - fraud.

Within the framework of criminal proceedings, all representatives of the Fund, as well as documentation of the institution, are checked. Pseudo -funds that raise money for the needs of shelters, the treatment of seriously ill children and other socially sensitive topics have been working in Ukraine for years. Usually volunteers with transparent boxes on which the photograph of those who need help is glued at the entrance to the subway, shops, pharmacies.

This is the simplest scheme of fraud, says the focus of the former forensic police officer, lawyer Victor Chevguz. Most often, such volunteers have no documents confirming the activities of their funds. And if so - then fake. "Recently at the vineyard [Podilskyi district of Kiev] near the Retroville shopping mall was a jeep with volunteers. I got up, I asked to show documents - I did not see this car more. The problem is that law enforcement officers are just working badly.

They see volunteers who collect money It is unclear to what, but they do not respond. And they must ask to present the documents on which the organization is raising money, checking where the money went, " - says Chevguz. In 2023, Ukraine recorded an anti -record in the number of criminal proceedings initiated by fraud. According to the Office of the Prosecutor General, 59 605 criminal proceedings were opened in eight months under Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

That's more than in the past two years. At the same time, only 14% of the total number of open proceedings were sent to court. For comparison, 30% of 23,847 criminal proceedings were directed to the court in the corresponding period of 2021. According to the lawyer, it is not difficult to prove the investigation into a fraud. Two victims are enough to confirm that they donated money to the Foundation. After that, law enforcement officers will check where the money was received.

"I, as an investigator with a 25-year experience, guarantee that such cases are easy to investigate. Law enforcement officers are just doing their work badly," Chevguz continues. The former forensic police officer notes that if there are no applicants, an operational employee who serves the territory when he sees a pseudo-phenomena car, can ask a person in a civilian to be recorded on the phone what the company does.

Further passers -by who gave money to "volunteers" and got on video, you can call the department, show them a record, find out details. Under Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, the punishment depends on the amount of the meeting. For fraud in particularly large sizes or committed by an organized group threatens imprisonment for a term of five to twelve years with confiscation of property.