Counterfeit euros worth half a million: currency scheme exposed in Voznesensk

A scheme to sell counterfeit euros worth hundreds of thousands of hryvnias was exposed in Voznesensk: the suspects acted as a group and sold the currency at a reduced rate. One of the suspects already had a criminal record, but that did not stop him from getting involved in the illegal business again.

This is evidenced by the ruling of the Central District Court of Mykolaiv.

In Mykolaiv region, law enforcement officers exposed a group of people who organized illegal trafficking in counterfeit foreign currency. According to the investigation, a resident of Voznesensk, who was unemployed, established contacts with suppliers of counterfeit money and engaged an accomplice to sell it.

The man purchased at least EUR 11,020 in counterfeit banknotes, which he kept for further sale. Part of this currency - EUR 1,000 - he handed over to his accomplice for sale. The latter, in turn, found a "client" in the local market and sold him counterfeit money for $500, offering a favorable exchange rate.

Later, the criminals decided to continue the scheme and agreed on another deal - this time for more than 10 thousand euros. The buyer, who acted under the control of law enforcement, agreed to the deal. During a meeting near a building in Voznesensk, the suspects sold the counterfeit 10,020 euros for $7,000.

In total, these actions resulted in the sale of counterfeit currency worth more than 11 thousand euros, which, according to the NBU exchange rate, is more than 535 thousand hryvnias, which qualifies as a large amount.

On March 26, 2026, one of the defendants was detained and notified of suspicion. The prosecutor emphasized that the man already had a criminal record - in 2021, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison with confiscation of property. This, as well as the existence of other criminal proceedings, indicates the systematic nature of his actions.

The court upheld the prosecution's case and imposed a 60-day detention as a preventive measure. At the same time, the court provided for the possibility of bail in the amount of almost UAH 1 million.

Last year, two foreigners suspected of setting up a channel for selling counterfeit dollars through occupied Crimea were extradited to Ukraine. Both were detained, and a pre-trial investigation into their involvement in an international currency counterfeiting scheme is underway.

Анна Бальчінос