Cyber fraudsters extorted 2 million hryvnias for drones: how the scheme worked on Telegram.

According to ТСН: Three individuals conspired and posted advertisements online for selling quadcopters. However, after receiving money from buyers, they disappeared without sending the goods.

The Kyiv police reported this criminal activity.

Exposing the criminal scheme

Investigators of the Podil Police Department of Kyiv, with the support of operatives and under the procedural guidance of the Podil District Prosecutor's Office, uncovered this fraudulent scheme.

According to the investigation, a 30-year-old entrepreneur, together with her mother and an acquaintance, offered the supply of DJI Mavic quadcopters on specialized Telegram channels. After receiving money for the goods into the accounts of fictitious individual entrepreneurs, the 'businessmen' disappeared, failing to send the paid drones to the buyers.

"Currently, it has been documented that under this scheme, three accomplices deceived a volunteer for over 500,000 UAH by 'selling' him non-existent unmanned aerial vehicles. Subsequently, two of the aforementioned 'entrepreneurs' misappropriated over 1.5 million UAH from a company that wanted to purchase drones for delivery to the military," said investigator Anastasia Boyko.

Suspicions and consequences

The man and woman, aged 30 and 28, have been announced as suspects in absentia under part 5 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — misappropriation of someone else's property by fraud (fraud) on a large scale, committed under martial law by a prior agreement group of individuals, committed repeatedly.

A 53-year-old woman from Kyiv, who also participated in the scheme, was announced as a suspect under part 4 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — misappropriation of someone else's property by fraud, committed by a prior agreement group of individuals under martial law and on a large scale. The issue of selecting a preventive measure is being decided.

The sanction of the article provides for strict punishment in the form of imprisonment for up to 12 years with confiscation of property.

Let us remind you that in Ukraine, money is extorted from the relatives of prisoners of war. Relatives of military personnel should remember that no state structure demands money for the release of prisoners or the search for the missing.