In Lviv, a fraudulent scheme organized by the director of a charitable foundation was uncovered, deceiving military personnel and a volunteer for over one million hryvnias
This was reported by the regional prosecutor's office, which is currently preparing suspicion notices for a 41-year-old man who has long been suspected of loss of trust and illegal enrichment by feigning assistance to Ukrainian defenders. According to investigators, the criminal activity of the suspect lasted from December 2023 to February 2025. Throughout this period, he operated under the cover of a charitable foundation created specifically for collecting funds to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In reality, he was implementing a large-scale fraud scheme. His main goal was to create the illusion of providing aid to the military to attract trusting individuals to transfer money. In exchange for promises to help acquire equipment, vehicles, and gear for defense, he deliberately misled the victims. According to the investigation, the criminal persuaded four military personnel and one volunteer to transfer money to him for supposedly purchased equipment from his foundation. This included seven various vehicles, thermal imaging sights, quadcopters, and other equipment needed for defensive operations. However, the suspect never delivered the promised goods and instead used the received funds at his discretion. The investigation states that he transferred money both to his personal bank accounts and through various electronic payment systems, hiding behind charitable activities. Participants in the scheme trusted the suspect because he actively exploited that trust to obtain funds, which he then kept for himself. As a result of his scam, four service members and one volunteer suffered losses. The total amount of damages inflicted exceeds 1.3 million hryvnias. The regional prosecutor's office emphasizes that this crime has serious consequences for the victims and undermines trust in charitable organizations during a difficult time for the country. After collecting evidence and filing a Prosecutor's motion, the court decided to arrest the suspect with the possibility of bail. Additionally, law enforcement officers stress that the investigation is ongoing, and efforts are underway to identify other potential victims and possible co-conspirators involved in this fraud. Currently, the investigation aims to establish all circumstances of the crime and potential further measures to bring the man, who cynically exploited trust under the guise of charity to profit at the expense of well-meaning citizens and Ukrainian defenders, to justice.