BTC
$0.00
0.00%
The criminals prepared for their crimes very carefully, clearly dividing roles among themselves. They chose their victims in advance, observed them for a long time, and studied their daily routines. They developed a clear plan for their abduction, found premises where they would then be held and tortured. The ultimate goal of the perpetrators was to obtain cash and non-cash funds, as well as digital currency (which works on the basis of blockchain technology), through intimidation and blackmail.
During surveillance, the perpetrators always communicated by mobile phone, and during the commission of the crime, they used radio stations and secure channels. The group members used three cars to commit the crimes. The first was the main car, and the other two were used to cover the main group.
Law enforcement officers established that the group consisted of foreigners and stateless persons aged 23 to 38. All eight, before turning to banditry, worked in various non-governmental law enforcement agencies. But not for long, because they were dissatisfied with their salaries and did not receive any bribes. Each of them dreamed of a house in one of the European Union countries and a Mercedes-Maybach Exelero. Or, at the very least, a Bugatti Divo or Lamborghini Veneno Roadster.
In addition, they committed a number of other property crimes. The criminals carefully and in advance chose their victims, and in their absence, they broke into the premises by prying open the windows. They stole money, jewellery, office equipment and other valuable property from the victims' homes.
During the arrest in a Volkswagen Transporter 4 minibus, which the criminals were travelling in after committing another crime in the Lviv region, police seized an external hard drive (crypto wallet), weapons, jewellery, lock picks, gloves, walkie-talkies, stun guns, and other items. Other items indicating their criminal activities were also seized.
It became known that the detainees had managed to rob houses in the Lviv, Donetsk, and Kyiv regions. From there, they took more than one and a half million hryvnias, 90 thousand euros, jewellery, and office equipment.
In addition, the suspects in the criminal proceedings in one of the episodes were charged with crimes under Part 5 of Article 185 of the Criminal Code (theft committed on a particularly large scale or by an organised group).
The pre-trial investigation in the case has been completed and the case materials have been sent to the court with an indictment. For such a crime, the suspects face up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.
