The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) uncovers a scheme to smuggle men into the EU using cryptocurrency.
Date: 2025-11-19 Author: Oliver Abernathy Categories: IN WORLD
In Transcarpathia, officers of the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), with the support of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the internal security units of the Border Service, have established the involvement of a serviceman in organizing the illegal crossing of the state border. According to investigators, the officer abused his official authority to help draft-age men enter Romania, concealing financial transactions through virtual cryptocurrency wallets.
Investigative materials indicate that the man had previously offered an acquaintance the service of traveling abroad, estimating the cost at $2,000. The transaction was arranged via Telegram, where all messages were automatically deleted, and payment was required in cryptocurrency. This allowed for bypassing banking instruments and complicating monitoring of the movement of funds.
After receiving the payment, the suspect immediately transferred it to another address through a popular cryptocurrency service, providing additional anonymity. After the transaction, he sent a file with detailed instructions: routes, exit points, necessary coordinates, and recommendations intended to help avoid the attention of patrols and cameras. He emphasized that the journey on foot could take up to six days and warned of the risks of crossing the border on your own.
The soldier is charged under Part 3 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which pertains to the illegal transfer of persons across the state border by an official, and Part 1 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which pertains to receiving an unlawful benefit. If found guilty, he faces a prison sentence of up to nine years. Investigators are already petitioning for the defendant's detention, while work continues to identify other possible participants in the scheme. The Specialized Defense Prosecutor's Office of the Western Region is overseeing the case.
It is worth noting that similar cases have been recorded previously. For example, in the spring of 2024, police in the Odesa region shut down a similar channel that was smuggling men liable for military service to Moldova. At the time, the cost of the service reached $5,300, and law enforcement officers detained eight people just half a kilometer from the border.
