The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office have notified five members of a criminal organization exposed during Operation "Carthage" of suspicion. Among the suspects are senior officials of the Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police.
This was announced by the NABU press service on November 5.
The suspicions were served on the organizer of the group, the first deputy head of one of the SBU departments, the head of one of the National Police departments, and the deputy head of a unit of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Kyiv Region Police. The fifth suspect is a subordinate of the criminal organization's organizer.
Depending on the role of each suspect, the investigation qualifies their actions under articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine providing for liability for creating a criminal organization or participating in it, bribery, torture, counterfeiting money, and legalizing property obtained by criminal means.
According to NABU, the group was created by a man with multiple prior convictions. He involved representatives of the criminal underworld and high-ranking law enforcement officials, including from the SBU, National Police, and the Prosecutor General's Office, in illegal activities.
The investigation believes that organization members provided cover for fraudulent call centers that defrauded Ukrainians and foreigners. In addition, according to detectives, the group was involved in illegal drug trafficking, production of counterfeit cigarettes, and counterfeit foreign currency.
NABU also reports the organization of attacks, kidnappings, and infliction of bodily harm in the group's interests. According to the investigation, the group consisted of at least 12 people.
Anti-corruption agencies continue investigative actions and are taking measures to notify other organization members of suspicion.
Recall that on November 4, "Kurs Ukrainy" reported that within Operation "Carthage", NABU identified the activities of at least 52 fraudulent call centers with over 2,700 employees. According to the investigation, organizers paid law enforcement officials about 7,000 dollars monthly for the unimpeded operation of one call center.
The same day it became known that SBU Head Oleksandr Poklad dismissed two high-ranking officials of the special service who became subjects of the investigation. The SBU stated it was cooperating with NABU and SAPO investigative actions.
All persons notified of suspicion are considered innocent until their guilt is proven in accordance with the law and confirmed by a court conviction.
Based on materials from: NABU
