A network involved in the fraudulent placement of men in private high schools was uncovered in Kyiv
In Kyiv, law enforcement officials uncovered a large-scale scheme involving the fictitious employment of men subject to military service at private high schools. In exchange for the opportunity to formally secure a teaching position and obtain documents granting a deferment from mobilization, the men paid $10,000 in cryptocurrency.
According to the investigation, the owners and administrators of several private educational institutions in Kyiv were involved in organizing the fictitious employment.
On paper, the men were listed as teachers of physics, mathematics, art, technology, and elementary school classes. In reality, however, they did not teach any classes and rarely attended the schools.
“The owners and administrators of several private educational institutions in the capital were involved in organizing fictitious employment for men subject to military conscription. On paper, those employed taught physics, mathematics, art, technology, and even served as elementary school teachers,” the NPU stated.
To become such a “teacher,” men paid $10,000 to a crypto wallet.
After receiving the funds, the lyceum administrations prepared the necessary personnel documents and issued employment certificates, which were subsequently used as grounds for obtaining a deferment from mobilization.
Law enforcement officials determined that the fictitious employees were officially added to the staff rosters of the educational institutions and were even paid salaries.
However, the men were required to return the funds they received to the high schools.
In addition, each month they paid an extra $700 into the schools’ accounts, ostensibly for taxes and other mandatory payments.
“They also paid an additional $700 each month into the lyceums’ accounts, ostensibly for taxes and mandatory payments, with the payment description ‘Educational Services,’” the police noted.
To conceal the fictitious nature of their employment, the men would visit the lyceums approximately once every two months to fill out the necessary academic paperwork.
To create the appearance of work, they were sent ready-made teaching materials via Telegram.
“To create digital evidence of their alleged teaching activities, the suspects were sent ready-made teaching materials via Telegram. All the ‘teachers’ had to do was upload them to the educational institutions’ online platforms, thereby simulating the performance of their duties,” the National Police of Ukraine reported.
According to the investigation, the activities of several private lyceums were coordinated by the co-founder of one of the educational institutions.
According to law enforcement, the woman assigned roles to the participants in the scheme and was responsible for distributing the funds received.
Her son, as the investigation established, sought out potential “clients,” while the heads of other lyceums hired men for teaching positions and issued documents to obtain deferrals.
On August 11, law enforcement officials conducted 53 searches at private educational institutions, at the suspects’ residences, and in their vehicles in Kyiv and the Kyiv region.
During the investigative operations, the following were seized:
- cash;
- documents;
- computer equipment;
- seals of private high schools;
- draft notes.
To date, police have documented at least 20 cases of fictitious employment involving men of draft age.
As part of the investigation, law enforcement officers detained five representatives of private lyceums.
They were notified of their status as suspects in the obstruction of the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations—under Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 1 of Article 114-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
In addition, more than 20 “teachers” aged 26 to 50 were notified that they are suspected of evading conscription into military service during mobilization. Their actions were classified under Article 336 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Law enforcement officials continue to identify other men who may have used the network’s services and are investigating the full circle of individuals involved in organizing and operating the scheme.
The illegal activities were documented in collaboration with representatives of the Internal Security Directorate of the Armed Forces of Ukraine within the Main Directorate of the Military Law Enforcement Service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The pre-trial investigation is ongoing under the procedural supervision of the Kyiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office.
This was reported by the Department of Strategic Investigations of the National Police of Ukraine.
Earlier in Lutsk, police notified a group of officials at one of the lyceums that they were under suspicion of organizing a scheme to provide fictitious employment to men of draft age.
The Novozavodsk District Court of Chernihiv found the director of the separate structural unit “Vocational College of Economics and Technologies of the National University ‘Chernihiv Polytechnic’” guilty of official forgery. According to the court, the official helped men of draft age obtain deferments from mobilization by issuing fraudulent documents.
