They extorted money and property from people: Law enforcement officials exposed members of an organized criminal group
Under the procedural guidance of the Cherkasy Regional Prosecutor’s Office, three members of an organized group were notified that they were suspected of extorting money and property from residents of Oleksandriya. The ringleader is also charged with illegal possession of weapons.
In January 2026, law enforcement officers in the Kirovohrad region uncovered the group and detained five of its members while they were receiving $3,000 from a victim.
Later, investigators uncovered new instances of possible criminal activity and gathered additional evidence in the case.
According to the investigation, a 34-year-old resident of Oleksandriya organized the group and recruited accomplices. They extorted money and property from local residents under the pretext of repaying allegedly existing debts.
To pressure the victims, the suspects threatened physical violence, used force, and intimidated them with the destruction of property. In some cases, they also alleged that the victims were involved in illegal drug trafficking.
The investigation established at least five incidents of extortion between November 2025 and January 2026.
Specifically, in November, near a cultural and sports complex in Oleksandriya, members of the group stopped a local resident’s car and demanded 10,000 U.S. dollars. They beat the man and threatened him and his wife with physical violence and damage to their home. Later, they reduced the amount to $6,000.
That same day, the victim handed over 90,000 hryvnias to the suspects, and the next day, unable to come up with the required amount, he was forced to give up his car.
The gang members also demanded money and property from four other victims. As a result of the violence, three of them sustained physical injuries, including fractures and concussions.
The total amount of illegal demands exceeded $51,000 and 30,000 hryvnias. In fact, the victims handed over $22,000, 274,000 hryvnias, and cars to the suspects.
During a search of the organizer’s car, law enforcement officers found a Makarov pistol and 8 rounds of ammunition for it.
At the request of the prosecution, the suspects were placed in pretrial detention as a precautionary measure.
This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General.
The Ministry of Finance revealed how more than 2.2 trillion hryvnias from the budget were spent over the past six months.
In the Kyiv region, scammers who defrauded people under the guise of charity were exposed
In May 2026, Ukraine’s real GDP grew by 0.9% year-over-year, continuing the trend of recovery. This positive trend has been recorded for the third consecutive month following a decline at the beginning of the year.
