Police have apprehended a group of fraudsters who stole millions in donations.

In the Cherkasy region, fraudsters posing as military personnel have been uncovered. They have swindled "donations" amounting to 2.5 million hryvnias.

This was reported by RBK-Ukraine, citing the National Police.

Police discovered that the criminals created dozens of fake accounts across several popular social media platforms. They utilized photographs of documents belonging to Ukrainian servicemen, which they found in open sources.

The scammers posted announcements claiming to collect funds for the needs of the military. The money was spent on their personal expenses. The total amount of stolen funds exceeds 2.5 million hryvnias.

Cyber police and investigators traced the entire flow of funds—from the moment they were embezzled to their legalization. They also identified individuals who registered fake military accounts on social media and posted fundraising announcements, as well as their locations.

Law enforcement conducted 11 searches in the territories of the Cherkasy and Kyiv regions. Mobile phones, bank cards, computer equipment, and other material evidence were seized.

Three suspects have been charged under Part 3 of Article 190, Part 4 of Article 190, and Part 2 of Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The offenders face up to eight years in prison.

Photo: Police uncovered fraudsters who were scamming "donations" (npu.gov.ua)

Fraudsters in Ukraine

According to a survey, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, 11% of Ukrainians have fallen victim to fraud. Most commonly, scams occur during online buying or selling of goods.

Previously, the Ministry of Justice explained to Ukrainians the banking schemes used by fraudsters to steal money and how to protect themselves.