SBU: Dnipro-based foundation embezzled 90% of donations to the Armed Forces
18 September 06:58
In the south and east of Ukraine, law enforcement officers exposed a large-scale fraud scheme involving the misappropriation of funds raised to help the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This was reported by the Security Service of Ukraine, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
According to the investigation, six members of the criminal group, who were hiding behind the activities of a pseudo-volunteer foundation, were detained in Dnipro, Kharkiv, Odesa, and Kamianske. It was founded in Dnipro by a local repeat offender who is already under investigation for drug trafficking. Nine other accomplices joined the scheme.
Law enforcement officers found that only about 10% of the funds raised were spent on the real needs of the front. The rest – about 90% – was divided among the group members.
The fraudsters set up collection boxes in public places in different cities. One of the episodes documented the embezzlement of over 556 thousand hryvnias. During the searches of the fund’s premises and the suspects’ residences, the SBU seized equipment, phones, draft records and cash.
The organizer of the group and five other accomplices have already been served a notice of suspicion under Part 3 of Art. 201-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – illegal use of humanitarian aid or charitable funds in wartime committed by a group of persons. They face up to 7 years in prison with confiscation of property.
According to Ukrayinska Pravda, the case involves the Together We Are United Foundation and its representative Temuri Lomidze.
The SBU emphasized that the case concerns only a specific organization and has nothing to do with other volunteer and charitable foundations:
“The Security Service of Ukraine highly appreciates the volunteer and charitable movement in our country. We urge citizens to continue to help the defense forces, but to do so carefully in order not to become a victim of fraudulent schemes.”
