The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) are carrying out a large-scale special operation codenamed "Carthage," aimed at exposing a criminal organization that operated with the involvement of an official of the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO). According to the investigation, the group provided an "umbrella" for a network of fraudulent call centers and was involved in laundering funds obtained through criminal activity. This is reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing NABU, SAP, and a statement by People's Deputy Oleksiy Honcharenko.
Operation 'Carthage': what is known about the scheme
According to materials cited by RBC-Ukraine, this concerns a systematic structure that not only "protected" fraudulent call centers but also channeled into the legal economy assets obtained through criminal means. The call centers, as described by law enforcement, lured citizens onto fictitious investment platforms and gained unauthorized access to their bank accounts.
Detention at the Prosecutor General's Office
As People's Deputy Oleksiy Honcharenko reported, NABU detectives have already detained Serhiy Kropyva, Deputy Head of the International Department of the Prosecutor General's Office. Independent sources of RBC-Ukraine confirmed the fact of his detention. Thus, at the center of the investigation is a senior official of the very agency responsible for coordinating the fight against corruption and organized crime.
Reaction of the Prosecutor General's Office
The PGO confirmed that investigative actions are being carried out against its employee and assured full cooperation with the anti-corruption bodies. The suspected official will be suspended from his duties for the duration of the pre-trial investigation. "On the possible involvement of one of the Office's employees in unlawful activity: all the circumstances must be established by the investigation. We will provide the anti-corruption bodies with full assistance and all necessary information within the framework of the law," the agency stated. Meanwhile, PGO spokesperson Maryana Haiovska denied online reports of searches at the residence of Prosecutor General Ruslan Khrachenko.
Scale of the fight against call centers
The PGO emphasized that systematic countermeasures against fraudulent call centers are ongoing. Over the past 12 months, law enforcement carried out more than 1,050 searches and blocked the activities of around 340 illegal call centers and 5,000 operator workstations. Currently, 147 criminal proceedings are under investigation, suspicion has been announced to more than 180 individuals, and cases against 93 suspects have already been referred to court. The damage to victims of these schemes is estimated at tens of millions of hryvnia; 37 international joint investigation teams have been involved in the investigations under the coordination of Eurojust and with the support of Europol.
Context: tightening of legislation
Recall that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously stated that Ukraine is preparing to tighten penalties for organizing fraudulent call centers, as well as for schemes involving bank cards and so-called "drop" accounts. Last month, police across the country were inspecting the infrastructure of fraudulent call centers. Operation "Carthage" fits into the general trend of strengthening the fight against telecom fraud and searching for possible "umbrellas" within state structures.
