An Odessa lawyer was convicted of defrauding a client

The Kyiv District Court of Odesa found a lawyer guilty of fraud and sentenced him to one year of probation.

As noted in the court’s ruling, in September 2024, the lawyer sent his client a message on WhatsApp that was formatted to look like a court decision from the Ovidiopol District Court of Odesa Oblast. 

According to the document, the client’s claim had been granted in full, so the lawyer asked the client to pay for his services and received 85,500 hryvnias. The client had hired the attorney to resolve a housing issue—specifically, to restore his right to housing—and, according to the court decision the attorney provided, this right had indeed been restored. 

However, the court ruling turned out to be a forgery, and the client himself was abroad and trusted the lawyer. In 2025, the Qualification and Disciplinary Commission of Lawyers of the Odesa Region revoked this lawyer’s license to practice law.  In the presence of his defense attorney, the former lawyer signed a statement in which he unreservedly admitted guilt and agreed to a simplified trial.

In 2025, the Qualification and Disciplinary Commission of Lawyers of the Odesa Region revoked this lawyer’s license to practice law.  In the presence of his defense attorney, the former attorney signed a statement unequivocally admitting his guilt and agreeing to a simplified trial.

Кирило Бойко