Fraudsters in Vinnytsia cheated a foreigner out of $36 thousand under the guise of oil exports
29 December 13:22
In Vinnytsia, law enforcement officers exposed a fraudulent scheme involving a foreign citizen. This was reported by the Vinnytsia Regional Prosecutor’s Office, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
According to the investigation, two men are suspected of seizing more than $36,000 under the guise of selling sunflower oil.
How the fraud scheme worked
The investigation established that in June 2025, the victim, a foreigner living in Vinnytsia, was looking for sellers of a large batch of sunflower oil for further export to his country of origin.
During his search, he came across a phishing website disguised as the website of a well-known agricultural company that had actually ceased operations. Through this site, the victim contacted individuals who introduced themselves as employees of the company.
Fake documents and lost funds
The two suspects, posing as representatives of an agricultural company, provided the foreigner with a package of documents with fake details. Unaware of the fraud, the man entered into a sale and purchase agreement with them and transferred funds for the goods.
As a result of the fraud, the offenders illegally seized USD 36,200.
Detention and prosecution
After conducting a set of procedural and operational search activities, law enforcement officers identified the persons involved in the crime. The suspects were detained and served a notice of suspicion.
A motion to choose a measure of restraint has been filed with the court.
The offenders face imprisonment for a term of five to twelve years with the possibility of confiscation of property under the article of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
