SBI Detains Odesa Serviceman for $16K Scam to Avoid Military Service

SBI officers detained and served a notice of suspicion to a serviceman of a terrorist defense unit in Odesa who organized a scheme to make money on those wishing to avoid service by using fake diagnoses from a psychiatric hospital.

He was looking for volunteers among active military and civilians who wanted to avoid the draft and offered to exempt them from service for USD 16 thousand, the SBI press service reported.

The detainee, through his acquaintances in a psychiatric hospital, made fictitious diagnoses to his "clients" that allowed them to avoid mobilization and get out of service.

In case of non-payment of money for the service, he threatened civilians with forced mobilization, boasting of his connections in the territorial recruitment center, and active soldiers with deployment to the front line.

The serviceman was detained while receiving USD 16 thousand for another transaction.

The investigation is ongoing, the suspect's connections to the TCC are being studied, the circle of people who took advantage of the scheme is being established, and investigators have searched and seized documentation from a psychiatric hospital that stamped fake diagnoses.

Currently, the serviceman has been served a notice of suspicion of obtaining an unlawful benefit by an official (Article 368 (3) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

A custody with the right to be released on bail in the amount of UAH 1 million was chosen as a measure of restraint. The sanction of the article provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

Earlier in Odesa, a criminal group of four people was convicted of intimidating victims with forced mobilization under the guise of police and military officers and then extorting bribes.

Recently, the SBU and the National Police exposed a Russian agent who was preparing a terrorist attack in southern Ukraine on behalf of the enemy. The saboteur was a 20-year-old drug addict from Odesa region who was recruited by the FSB through a Telegram channel looking for "easy" money.

SBI officers jointly with border guards detained an official of the Odesa region law enforcement agency on suspicion of setting up a scheme of illegal transportation of men liable for military service across the state border to the Republic of Moldova.

Кирило Бойко