In the Ternopil region, a customs officer was caught selling deferrals for $5,000
On September 7, the State Bureau of Investigation (DBR) and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) exposed a customs officer in the Ternopil region who promised to arrange admission to a college or university for $5,000. According to the investigation, enrollment was intended to serve as grounds for obtaining a deferment from mobilization.
The customs officer acted in collusion with as-yet-unidentified employees of educational institutions. He demanded $5,000 for the “package service,” convincing the client that it was impossible to gain admission on one’s own.
The scheme involved several stages. Between February and September 2026, the suspect coordinated the transfer of documents, contacted representatives of the educational institution, and personally accompanied the man to the entrance exams. Afterward, the man subject to military service was enrolled in the program, which granted him a legal deferment.
The customs officer guaranteed that after college, he would arrange for the man’s successful admission to the Western Ukrainian National University to ensure the deferment remained in effect.
Searches are currently underway at the customs officer’s residence, workplace, and vehicle, as well as on the premises of educational institutions. Documents and other evidence have been seized.
The official has been notified that he is suspected of receiving an unlawful benefit by a public official, committed through prior conspiracy by a group of individuals, combined with extortion (Part 3 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
The penalty under this article provides for imprisonment for up to 10 years, along with confiscation of property and a ban on holding certain positions for up to 3 years.
Investigators are identifying other individuals involved in the illegal scheme, particularly among employees of educational institutions.
The Ternopil Regional Prosecutor’s Office is overseeing the proceedings, according to the State Bureau of Investigation (DBR).
As a reminder, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) exposed an organization involved in bribery from call centers with the participation of an official from the Office of the Prosecutor General.
Earlier, prosecutors from the Chernivtsi Regional Prosecutor’s Office completed a pretrial investigation and filed an indictment against the organizer and seven members of a transnational criminal organization.
Thanks to international cooperation, Ukrainian law enforcement agencies, together with colleagues from Europol, Eurojust, and law enforcement agencies in the Republic of Moldova and Romania, dismantled a fraudulent call center whose members were swindling money from citizens.
