--- title: "Operation \"Carthage\": NABU and SAP Expose the \"Umbrella\" for Fraudulent Call Centers Led by a Head of a Unit in the Office of the Prosecutor General" description: "Under Operation \"Carthage,\" NABU and SAP exposed a criminal organization headed by a head of a unit in the Office of the Prosecutor General that received bribes from fraudulent call centers and laundered millions of hryvnias." date: 2026-09-05T09:46:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/operation-carthage-nabu-sap-umbrella-for-fraudulent-call-centers tags: [nabu, sap, carthage-operation, call-centers, corruption, money-laundering, ukraine, prosecutor-general-office] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Operation "Carthage": NABU and SAP Expose the "Umbrella" for Fraudulent Call Centers Led by a Head of a Unit in the Office of the Prosecutor General ![Hand holding a leather wallet with a metal shield emblem — illustration of NABU and SAP's Operation Carthage exposing the 'protection' of fraud call centers](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/05/operatsiya-karfagen-nabu-sap-kryshevanie-moshennicheskikh-koll-tsentrov/operatsiya-karfagen-nabu-sap-kryshevanie-moshennicheskikh-koll-tsentrov-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - NABU and SAP exposed a criminal organization that systematically received bribes from fraudulent call centers and laundered illegal income. - According to the investigation, the scheme was created and led by the head of a structural unit of the Office of the Prosecutor General, who drew in active prosecutors. - The suspects concealed assets worth about 12 million hryvnias by re-registering them in the names of third parties and placed more than 10 million hryvnias into accounts of close associates, disguising them as legitimate income. - Five participants were exposed; their actions have been classified under Articles 255 and 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, and investigative actions are ongoing. Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies have completed reconnaissance work under the special operation "Carthage," during which a criminal organization was exposed that systematically received bribes from fraudulent call centers and was involved in laundering millions of illegally obtained hryvnias. According to the investigation, the scheme was organized by one of the heads of structural units of the Office of the Prosecutor General, who in mid-2025 established and led a group, drawing in active prosecutors and persons close to him. The operation became public on September 4, when it was first disclosed that a special operation was underway to expose a criminal organization headed by an official of the Office of the Prosecutor General. ### The "Umbrella" Scheme for Fraudulent Call Centers According to the investigation, members of the group established a systematic flow of bribes in exchange for allowing fraudulent call centers to operate without interference. Such structures, the investigation notes, mass-defrauded people, including both Ukrainian citizens and foreigners. In essence, this amounts to an "umbrella" over illegal activity provided by officials empowered within the law enforcement system, which significantly raises the profile of the case and raises questions about systemic risks within the Office of the Prosecutor General. ### How the Millions Were Laundered The funds obtained illegally were laundered by the suspects through various schemes. According to NABU and SAP, the head of the group concealed assets with a minimum market value of about 12 million hryvnias by re-registering them in the names of third parties; among the concealed assets was real estate in a popular apartment complex near the Carpathians. In addition, more than 10 million hryvnias were placed by members of the organization into bank accounts of close associates, disguising these funds as legitimate income from alleged business activities. The totality of these operations, according to the investigation, indicates a well-structured system for whitewashing income obtained from bribery. ### Five Suspects and the Applicable Criminal Code Articles Law enforcement agencies exposed five members of the criminal organization. Their actions have been preliminarily classified under Article 255 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — establishing and leading a criminal organization or participating in it — and under Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — laundering (legalization) of property obtained by criminal means. Investigative actions are ongoing: law enforcement agencies are identifying other possible members of the criminal organization, indicating that the list of suspects may expand further. ### Context: Tightening of Penalties for Call Centers The exposure coincided with a public statement by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who the day before announced that Ukraine is preparing to tighten penalties for organizing fraudulent call centers. Thus, Operation "Carthage" fits into a broader context of strengthening the fight against telephone fraud and the corrupt "umbrella" over such schemes. Official materials of the operation, including footage of investigative actions, have been published by NABU and SAP. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Operation "Carthage": NABU Reveals Details of Case Involving an Official of the Office of the Prosecutor General](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/operatsiya-karfagen-nabu-rozkrilo-podrobitsi-1788601413.html) - Подтверждает факт операции, роль руководителя подразделения Офиса генпрокурора, схему взяток от колл-центров и легализации средств. - [Operation "Carthage": NABU Reveals Details of the "Umbrella" for Call Centers in the Office of the Prosecutor General](https://ru.slovoidilo.ua/2026/09/05/novost/bezopasnost/operaciya-karfagen-nabu-raskrylo-detali-kryshevaniya-kol-centrov-ofise-genprokurora) - Совпадает по сути дела: «крышевание» мошеннических колл-центров, участие работников прокуратуры, легализация доходов. - [NABU's Operation "Carthage": How the Call Centers Case Led to the Office of the Prosecutor General](https://fraza.com/analytics/378082-operatsija-nabu-«karfagen»-kak-delo-koll-tsentrov-privelo-v-ofis-genprokurora) - Аналитический разбор связки дела колл-центров с должностным лицом Офиса генпрокурора; согласуется с основными фактами. - [Operation "Carthage": The "Umbrella" for Fraudulent Call Centers Found in Ukraine's Office of the Prosecutor General](https://www.gazeta.ru/politics/2026/09/04/23505721.shtml) - Подтверждает ключевой тезис о «крыше» мошеннических колл-центров внутри Офиса генпрокурора. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: What is Operation "Carthage"? **A:** It is a special operation by NABU and SAP to expose a criminal organization that systematically received bribes from fraudulent call centers and laundered illegally obtained funds. It was first disclosed on September 4. ### Q: Who, according to the investigation, headed this organization? **A:** One of the heads of structural units of the Office of the Prosecutor General, who, according to the investigation, established the group in mid-2025 and drew in active prosecutors and close associates. The name is not disclosed in the materials. ### Q: What amounts are involved in the case? **A:** According to NABU and SAP, the head concealed assets with a minimum market value of about 12 million hryvnias by re-registering them in the names of third parties, while more than 10 million hryvnias were placed by members into bank accounts of close associates, disguised as legitimate income. ### Q: How many people were exposed and under which articles? **A:** Five participants were exposed. Their actions have been preliminarily classified under Article 255 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (establishing and leading a criminal organization or participating in it) and Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (laundering of property obtained by criminal means). The investigation is ongoing.