The defendants made fictitious driver's licenses, car registration certificates, medical certificates for drivers and notarized powers of attorney to order. The monthly "earnings" of criminals reached UAH 5 million.
The scheme of making and selling fake documents was exposed by cyber police officers of the Odessa region together with investigators of the Main Directorate of the Regional Police.
The criminal group consisted of 12 people. Offenders on social networks, messengers and various web resources offered customers the production of forged documents. The group "specialized" in driver's licenses, vehicle registration certificates, medical certificates for drivers and notarized powers of attorney.
The cost of services ranged from UAH 4000 to 9000. The monthly estimated income of the defendants was about 5 million hryvnias. The criminals converted the earned money into cryptocurrency.
Law enforcement officers conducted more than 20 searches. They seized equipment needed to produce fictitious documents, about 500 "blanks" for future forgeries, bank and SIM cards, holographic tapes, three cars and about UAH 1.5 million in cash.
Police also seized forged documents ready for sale during searches.
Criminal proceedings have been instituted under Part 3 of Art. 27, part 3 of Art. 28, part 3 of Art. 358 (Forgery of documents, seals, stamps and forms, sale or use of forged documents, seals, stamps), Part 3 of Art. 199 (Manufacture, storage, purchase, transportation, shipment, import into Ukraine for sale of goods, sale or sale of counterfeit money, government securities in paper form, state lottery tickets, excise stamps or holographic security features) , part 2 of Art. 361 (Unauthorized interference in the work of information (automated), electronic communication, information and communication systems, electronic communication networks) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Four suspects have already been declared suspects. Three organizers were detained in accordance with Art. 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. The issue of reporting suspicions to other group members is currently being resolved.
The perpetrators face up to twelve years in prison with confiscation of property.
Procedural guidance is provided by the Prosecutor's Office of the Odessa region.
