The SBU has exposed a russian financial pyramid scheme in Ukraine worth almost $40 million.
The investigation has established that the organisers offered their clients to become investors and transfer money to the account of a company that allegedly helps to "multiply" investments.
To use the "service", the fraudsters developed their own web resource with accounts of potential "investors". The fraudsters promised "investors" steady profits in the form of "dividends" from investing in shares of promising world-class companies.
In addition, the fraudsters "guaranteed" their clients "bonuses" in case of attracting new participants. The fraudsters transferred the money received from investors to their own crypto wallets and bank accounts. The criminals managed to defraud more than 1,000 people.
Law enforcement officers have established that at least 10 people, most of whom are russian citizens, were involved in organising the scheme. During the searches, they found equipment and documents with evidence of violations, as well as souvenirs and promotional products used to attract "investors".
It is noted that the relevant scheme previously operated only in russia, but after 2017, they gradually tried to implement it in Ukraine through a massive advertising campaign on the Internet and opening of an "office" in Kyiv. Currently, one of the organisers has been notified of suspicion of fraud.