In Odessa, law enforcement officers detained a fraudster who was impersonating a lawyer and promising to “resolve issues” with military registration for large sums of money
In Odessa, law enforcement officers detained a 33-year-old man suspected of abusing people's trust by impersonating a lawyer and offering to "resolve issues" related to the military registration of local residents. According to the National Police of Ukraine, this perpetrator was illegally circulating counterfeit documents and negotiating the removal from military registration of individuals who had valid certificates, for a fee. According to the investigation, the man concealed himself behind fictitious connections within the Territorial Center for Recruitment (TCR), hinting that he could quickly and effortlessly resolve military registration issues. The operatives found out that he offered a local resident, who was registered as reservist until February 2026, the service of removing him from military registration specifically due to his health condition. For this "service," he demanded $15,000. The suspect presented himself as a lawyer and claimed to have "connections" in the district TCR, as well as "arrangements" with officials of the institution to create an additional fabricated basis for his criminal actions. He inflated his claims with invented connections and the supposedly "quick and legal" way to remove a person from military registration, which induced trust in the victim. The accused already had a conviction for fraud, which raised further suspicions about his intentions. Law enforcement detained him during the exchange of illegal money — it was at this moment that officers intervened, preventing potential future victims from falling into even greater schemes. Currently, the suspect has been charged under Article 369-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — abuse of influence, punishable by several years of imprisonment. Law enforcement have conducted searches and seized evidence confirming the man's criminal activities. This incident is part of a recent series of cases, including one from Kyiv on April 25, where another man was detained for attempting to extort 170,000 hryvnias through armed "services" involving reservation and employment for a leadership position in the police. This story illustrates how widespread fraudulent schemes within the justice and military registration systems have become, emphasizing the importance of increasing oversight over individuals impersonating representatives of official institutions. Law enforcement officials emphasize that any offers to "resolve issues" for money through intermediaries or dubious figures should raise suspicion. The law is strict against fraudsters, and every case of illegal activity must be properly investigated to prevent further scams and to protect citizens' rights. The operation to apprehend the suspect marked another success for Ukrainian law enforcement in combating corruption and fraudulent schemes, which persist even under the most challenging circumstances of war and destruction. However, the public is warned to remain vigilant and not trust malicious actors promising quick and easy solutions to any problems for cash or through suspicious schemes.