The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine has announced a new notice of suspicion to the former head of a department at the Office of the Prosecutor General as part of the large-scale "Carthage" special operation. According to the investigation, the former official played a key role in a criminal organization that protected a network of illegal fraudulent call centers across the country, with the total documented unlawful benefit exceeding 1 billion hryvnias.
Details of the criminal scheme and suspect's role
Law enforcement officials note that the former official directly contacted representatives of shadow call centers and was responsible for systematically receiving funds. His duties also included ensuring the general security and conspiracy of the members of the criminal group, as well as involving new participants in illegal activities. For a regular fee, the organizers of the scheme guaranteed the owners of illegal call centers reliable protection from criminal prosecution and the blocking of any investigations.
Crime qualification and case defendants
The suspect's actions are qualified by the investigation under several articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, including Part 3 of Article 255 (creation and management of a criminal organization) and Part 5 of Article 27, Part 4 of Article 368 (abetting the receipt of unlawful benefit). Concurrently with the investigation, large-scale investigative actions are underway to identify other individuals involved. Earlier, as part of the same special operation, the driver of one of the prosecutors, Serhii Kutsyi, received suspect status and was later released from custody on bail of 3 million hryvnias.
Personnel purges and institutional context
The "Carthage" special operation triggered serious personnel changes and internal audits within the supervisory agency. The Office of the Prosecutor General conducted an internal investigation regarding the foreign travel of former agency head Ruslan Kravchenko, while systematic purges led to the liquidation of a number of positions and the mass dismissal of prosecution employees. In particular, eight individuals directly mentioned in the anti-corruption investigation materials lost their positions.
Significance and consequences of the operation
The exposure of high-ranking prosecution officials coordinating shadow business demonstrates the scale of corruption infiltration into Ukraine's law enforcement system. Further developments surrounding the "Carthage" special operation will significantly impact public trust in anti-corruption bodies and prosecution institutions, as well as state-level efforts against cyber fraud.
