Fake military TCC in Odesa sentenced to seven years in prison

The court found the organizer and three members of the group guilty of extortion and unauthorized appropriation of power.

According to the press service of the Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office, the convicts posed as police officers and employees of the territorial center for recruitment and social support.

They tracked down men of military age, checked their documents and, threatening them with forced delivery to the TCC, demanded money "to resolve the issue."

Over several episodes, the criminals received over 80 thousand hryvnias and 3 thousand US dollars from the victims. After transferring the money, they assured the citizens that they would enter their data into the Oberig database, which allegedly "guaranteed" avoidance of problems with mobilization.

They were detained in November 2024 during another extortion attempt. The group consisted of individuals with criminal records, including a former law enforcement officer who had already had problems with the law.

All four were awaiting sentencing in custody and pleaded guilty in court.

Earlier, the Chornomorsk City Court of Odesa Region approved a plea agreement on kidnapping by misappropriation of authority between a prosecutor and a member of a public organization who, along with his accomplices, posed as a military TCC.

Prior to that, the Kyiv District Court of Odesa found four members of an organized group who posed as employees of a territorial center for recruitment and social support guilty of extortion.

In July 2024, the Center for Public Investigations made a film "Guarding the Odesa Cauldron " about community groups. It combines three text-based investigations about more than 30 civil society organizations:

• "Volunteers" for budgetary funds, security guards a la volunteers, and groups supported by the authorities: who is behind Odesa's PFs
• Guardians of Odesa's rear: who is behind the civil society groups
• Guarding the Odesa "cauldron".

Already in September 2024, after an investigation by the CPR, prosecutors exposed the deputy head of the "Law Enforcement Assistance Unit" for corruption. He is suspected of helping to evade the mobilization of persons liable for military service.

Кирило Бойко