Kyiv police have charged a 45-year-old Kyiv resident and his 36-year-old accomplice, a lawyer's assistant, with running a scheme that legalized foreigners in Ukraine through fictitious companies and charitable organizations, the Main Directorate of the National Police in Kyiv reports. Fees ranged from $2,000 to $6,000 per client.
Fake jobs and a phantom charitable fund opened the door
Investigators say the organizer recruited foreigners seeking entry to Ukraine and offered them paid "legal support." Clients were "employed" at fictitious enterprises, which served as grounds for issuing a visa. The accomplice then used contacts inside the State Migration Service to secure temporary residence permits, entering false information into state registers, according to police.
In its statement, the National Police of Kyiv said: "To date, the legalization of three foreigners has been documented, two of whom are citizens of the Russian Federation, under the guise of volunteers at the invitation of a fictitious charitable fund, as well as the director of a newly created fictitious enterprise. In total, more than 100 foreigners used the unlawful scheme."
Cash seizures, raids, and pending charges
Officers carried out more than 10 searches at the suspects' homes and workplaces. Seized items, police report, include over $56,000, around 280,000 hryvnias, more than €5,000, 4,000 zlotys, equipment, data carriers, documents, company seals, and a car belonging to one of the suspects.
According to police, the organizer was detained while receiving a payment from a client, with the support of the special-purpose police regiment.
Both men face charges under Article 332 of Ukraine's Criminal Code (illegal transfer of persons across the state border). The organizer has also been charged under Part 3 of Article 369-2 (abuse of influence) and will remain in custody during the investigation.
Police say they are working to identify everyone involved in the scheme. Authorities are also moving to revoke the residence permits issued through the network and to bar the foreigners named in the case from re-entering Ukraine.
