The National Agency for the Identification, Search and Management of Assets (ARMA) together with the SBU and the Prosecutor’s Office exposed a criminal group that established illegal economic activities in cooperation with the Russian Federation and laundered the obtained profits through digital assets. About this reported ARMA press office.
According to the information of the investigation, the participants of the arrangement supplied goods of general use to the temporarily occupied territories of Luhansk Region. At first, the products were purchased in the territory under the control of Ukraine, and then they were transported to Russia through European countries and Belarus, from where they already entered the occupied territories.
On the spot, one of the members of the group, who was registered as an entrepreneur in the occupation structures, sold goods through his own chain of stores. ARMA managed to establish a method of laundering the received profits. Criminals transferred money into digital assets, and then exchanged for cash in Kyiv. The total amount of legalized funds exceeded 23 million hryvnias.
“ARMA’s search capabilities are not limited to identifying assets around the world. Our experts help law enforcement officers uncover the most daring schemes of criminals, including those who cooperate with the aggressor state. Everyone who commits crimes against Ukraine must bear economic responsibility for their actions.” – noted ARMA Deputy Chairman Pavlo Velikorechanin.
Currently, the pre-trial investigation has been completed, and the organizer of the scheme and his accomplices have been notified of suspicion under articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine regarding collaborative activities and laundering of illegally obtained income.
