In the Khmelnytskyi region, a woman defrauded a retiree out of ₴353,000 by claiming to remove a curse
In the Khmelnytskyi region, an indictment has been filed against a 50-year-old woman accused of fraud committed repeatedly and under martial law. According to the investigation, she tricked a 70-year-old retiree out of money and gold jewelry under the pretext of “lifting a curse,” causing damages totaling 353,000 hryvnias.
According to investigators, in April 2025, the defendant met the victim at a hospital.
She convinced the woman that she performed rituals and could “remove the curse” allegedly placed on her family.
Over the course of several weeks, the suspect received cash, gold jewelry, and money transfers to her bank card from the victim. At the same time, she claimed that she was performing prayers and special rituals at the Pochaiv Lavra and at a cemetery.
The total amount of damages amounted to 353,000 hryvnias. According to law enforcement, the woman pawned some of the gold jewelry she received, while the rest was seized during a search of her residence. According to the investigation, she had already spent the cash.
To avoid criminal liability, the defendant fled the country and was placed on the wanted list. She was detained in July, after which the court ordered her to be held in pretrial detention.
The woman is charged under Parts 1, 2, and 3 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (fraud).
At the same time, in accordance with Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court verdict.
This was reported by the prosecutor’s office.
