Odessa Man Faces Prison for Extorting $15,000 from Military

A resident of Odesa faces a prison term for extorting money from a man liable for military service under the guise of a lawyer.

This was reported by the Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office.

According to the investigation, the man, posing as a lawyer, demanded 15 thousand US dollars from the man liable for military service. In return for this money, he promised to help him get deregistered from the military register for health reasons, citing his connections in medical and military commissions and among the leadership of one of the district territorial centers for recruitment and social support in Odesa region.

Photo: Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office

In case of refusal to transfer the money, the suspect threatened to cancel the existing reservation and initiate a wanted list for the conscript. The man was detained red-handed while receiving the full amount.

The pseudo-lawyer was served a notice of suspicion of extortion and receiving an unlawful benefit for influencing decision-making by officials authorized to perform state functions (Part 3 of Art. 369-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). He has now been chosen as a measure of restraint in the form of detention.

Photo: Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office

Against the backdrop of a full-scale war in Ukraine, cases of fraud related to persons liable for military service are increasingly being reported. Pseudo-lawyers, intermediaries, and scammers offer large sums of money to "help" with deregistration, obtaining reservations, or issuing fictitious certificates of unfitness for service.

Such "services" cost from several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars. The criminals claim to have connections in medical commissions, military enlistment offices, or among officials, and guarantee a positive decision. In case of refusal to transfer the money, some fraudsters even threaten to cancel valid documents or put you on the wanted list.

Earlier, Intent wrote how police detained an employee of the district TCC on suspicion of bribery.

Ірина Глухова