The prosecutor's office will appeal the sentence handed down to a fraudster who embezzled millions from the mother of a fallen soldier
The Uzhhorod District Prosecutor’s Office will appeal the verdict against a 38-year-old man who was found to have been involved in a fraudulent scheme to embezzle funds intended for the mother of a deceased Ukrainian serviceman. According to the investigation, the woman lost more than 6.6 million hryvnias in government assistance that she had received following her son’s death.
On July 28, the court sentenced the defendant to 8 years in prison with confiscation of property. The prosecutor’s office considers the sentence too lenient and will insist on a harsher one. During the court proceedings, the prosecutor requested an 11-year prison sentence with confiscation of property.
The prosecution’s position is based not only on the amount of damages caused but also on the particular cynicism of the crime. The perpetrators deliberately targeted a woman who had lost her son in the war and exploited her severe emotional distress to seize the funds paid by the state to the family of the fallen soldier.
In court, prosecutors proved that the victim was persuaded to make a supposedly profitable investment with the aid money she had received. Individuals posing as employees of an investment company offered her mobile apps, through which they gained remote access to her phone and bank accounts.
Over the course of several months, the woman transferred funds to various accounts and handed over significant amounts of cash. The money was subsequently converted into cryptocurrency. The total amount of losses exceeded 6.6 million hryvnias.
During a search of the defendant’s residence, cocaine was also seized, which he had illegally possessed without intent to sell.
The Uzhhorod City and District Court found the man guilty under Part 4 of Article 190 and Part 1 of Article 309 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The court also granted the victim’s civil claims and ordered the defendant to pay her over 6.6 million hryvnias in compensation for material damages and 2 million hryvnias for moral damages.
Once it receives the full text of the verdict, the prosecutor’s office will file an appeal and insist on a harsher sentence for the defendant.
This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General.
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