SBU exposes members of charity fund who embezzled 90% of donations for army

Law enforcement officers have detained six people in different regions of Ukraine who, according to the investigation, misappropriated funds raised for the needs of the Defense Forces. This was reported by Security Service of Ukraine and National Police.

The scheme of embezzlement of charitable contributions operated in the south and east of Ukraine. In Dnipro, Kharkiv, Odesa, and Kamianske, six members of a criminal group who embezzled donations were simultaneously detained.

According to the investigation, the defendants, under the guise of volunteers, raised funds to provide supplies for Ukrainian soldiers at the front line. However, as law enforcement officers found out, they allocated only 10% of the total amount of contributions to the frontline, and distributed the remaining 90% among themselves.

The SBU claims that the deal was carried out under the guise of a charitable foundation founded in Dnipro by a local resident under investigation for drug trafficking.

He involved nine other accomplices in the scheme, whom he disguised in military uniforms for secrecy. At the same time, only two of the participants were related to military service (they were veterans).

To collect donations, they dispersed to different cities, where they set up cash boxes on the main streets.

In only one of the episodes, law enforcement officers documented the embezzlement of UAH 556,000 of charitable aid.

During the searches of the foundation's office and the suspects' residences, computers, smartphones, and draft records with evidence of the crimes were seized. Money collected as donations to the Armed Forces of Ukraine was also found.

Currently, the head of the foundation and five of his accomplices have been notified of suspicion under the article on the illegal use of humanitarian aid, charitable donations or free assistance for profit, committed by a group of persons during martial law.

They face up to seven years in prison with confiscation of property.

• On June 17, the SBI reported exposing a scheme to embezzle budget funds for the purchase of food for the Armed Forces. Losses to the state amounted to UAH 6 million.
• On June 20, Lviv served a notice of suspicion to the director of a charity foundation who defrauded the military and a volunteer of more than UAH 1.3 million under the pretext of supplying cars and equipment.