Back
Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
1 billion hryvnias in bribes for "protection" of fraudulent call centers: NABU reached a prosecutorial network of Kropyva, Tymoshenko and the OPG leadership's circle
22 October NABU and SAP reported a new suspicion in the "Carthage" operation. The amount of documented illicit benefit exceeded 1 bn UAH. The suspect is a former head of a department of the Office of the Prosecutor General, who, according to the investigation, was responsible for systematically collecting money from illegal call centers, security, secrecy and recruiting accomplices. The charges are Art. 3 para. 255 and Art. 5 para. 27, Art. 4 para. 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The surname of the new suspect was not disclosed, NABU reports.
The scale of the alleged scheme is 505 fraudulent call centers with a fee of about $7 thousand per month. Potential collections are $3,5 million per month. According to Ukrainska Pravda, in February of 2026 there were 469 such offices discussed, and by March — already 505. For money they promised protection from searches, checked the addresses of "their" people through official databases, and organized investigative actions against those not under control. This is an estimate of possible turnover, not an established monthly income.
NABU considers Serhii Kropyva ("Kanzler") the organizer — the former deputy head of the Department of International Cooperation of the OPG, former head of the cyber police and deputy head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration Oleh Kiper. The materials mention Yelyzaveta Ivakhnenko ("Muza"), driver Serhii Kutsyi ("Comrade"), and lawyer Oleksandr Dydych. The High Anti-Corruption Court set them alternative bail amounts of 20 million, 3 million and 15 million UAH respectively; Kropyva — 120 million. According to the prosecution, the driver handed the collected money to Kropyva directly in the prosecutor's office building. Kropyva denies involvement in the bribes.
According to NABU, the money was converted into relatives' assets: over 20 million UAH — real estate, jewelry and expensive property; more than 12 million — assets re-registered to third parties, including Carpathian apartments; another 10 million — accounts of close associates presented as business income. Separately, the investigation links legalization of 89,9 million UAH to Kropyva, including 41,7 million for the period he worked at the OPG and 48,2 million in the Odesa RMA. These amounts are not added to the billion in bribes.
Ivan Tymoshenko, former head of the IT Department of the OPG, worked with Kropyva in the cyber police and the Odesa RMA. According to SAP, Kropyva helped secure his appointment and gave instructions, including organizing a trip of former Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko to Madrid. 11 September Tymoshenko resigned. His wife Tetyana, formerly a doctor, declared 4,7 million UAH for part of 2023, 5,9 million in 2024 and 6,4 million in 2025 — about 17 million UAH. At the same time she denied receiving such amounts, Sledstvo.Info found.
Tymoshenko's mother-in-law Inna Hutsenko, with an annual salary of 332 thousand UAH, acquired 50 m² in the Kyiv residential complex Time for 1,2 million UAH — about $683 per m² with market offers starting from $2200, hromadske established.
Former deputy head of another OPG department Aydyn Khudiev was found with $50 thousand in cash. His name appeared on recordings about coordination of searches; the origin of the money is being checked, and the court refused arrest. Khudiev's wife declared 9,4 million UAH in income, and the mother of IT department employee Danylo Slipchuk declared over 4 million for seven months. These incomes by themselves do not confirm money laundering.
The materials also mention Deputy Prosecutor General Maksym Krym, former First Deputy Maria Vdovychenko, ex-Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko, prosecutor Ashot Gevorkyan and FC Kharkiv president Bohdan Boyko. The recordings discussed assignment of call center cases, personnel appointments and coordination of searches. Krym held a higher position than Kropyva; Tymoshenko formally headed a separate department but carried out Kropyva's instructions. Mere mention of these persons does not establish their participation in receiving bribes.
After the exposure of "Carthage," eight employees were dismissed from the prosecutor's office, seven from the OPG; four others were removed from leadership positions. NABU attributes the billion hryvnias to the alleged criminal organization as a whole, not personally to Tymoshenko. The investigation is identifying other participants.
Incredible, but true....
Telegram publication
