Demanded money posing as TRC and police: In Odesa, 4 fraudsters were convicted

Demanded money posing as TRC and police: In Odesa, 4 fraudsters were convicted

The Kyiv District Court of Odesa found four men guilty of extorting money.

This was reported by «Sudovyi Reporter» with reference to the verdict dated June 5.

According to the case materials, the organizer of the group was an Odesa resident who had served 10 years in prison for robbery. His accomplices included another citizen who had been repeatedly convicted of theft, as well as a serviceman and a former police officer (he worked as a district officer until 2014 — ed.).

During October-November 2024, the extortionists received money from three individuals, posing as employees of the Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Center, as well as a police officer.

The perpetrators purchased clothing resembling the uniforms of TRS and SS employees, and tactical police clothing with appropriate emblems.

The group leader obtained information about potential victims from unknown sources, analyzed it, and passed it on to the executors with instructions regarding the time, place, and method of extorting money.

The victims were met near their homes, asked to present military registration documents, questioned about their age, health status, and then shoved into a car, saying they would be taken to TRC.

The men were frightened into believing they were already wanted and had to be forcibly delivered to TRC for a military medical commission, with subsequent deployment to the front, bypassing the legal procedure.

One man paid off with 38,000 hryvnias. Another gave 7,000 hryvnias, after which his wallet was snatched, and he was asked to go home to find more money, demanding no less than 2,000 dollars. Ultimately, the victim handed over 34,000 hryvnias.

Another man was extorted for 7,000 US dollars, being told that they knew he had money because they had been observing him for several days. Scared, the victim handed over 3,000 dollars, which he had in the trunk of his car. After this, the extortionists were detained.

Subsequently, the defendants pleaded guilty.

The organizer confirmed that he personally devised this extortion scheme and purchased the uniforms at a market. He distributed the received funds among the accomplices. He now sincerely repents of his actions, asking not to be severely punished, as he plans to defend the state in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Another defendant, who is an active serviceman, explained that in the fall of 2024, he was on leave when an acquaintance offered him an opportunity to earn money. He agreed for profit. During a conversation with one of the victims, he showed his military documents, after which the victim gave money.

All four defendants were sentenced to 7 years imprisonment with confiscation of property.