Impostors demand cash from young men in Odesa by pretending to be military officers

Source: National Police of Ukraine 

Ukraine’s police has arrested a group of fraudsters in Odesa they were posed as recruitment officers to cheat money out of draft-age men.

The gang had four members, three locals and one Donetsk native, who  used the guise of “conscription patrols” to extort money out of unwary men they stopped in the streets for ID checks.  Just one ‘shift’ of such night patroling got them up to $1,000.

They were caught in the act after they beat up a young man claiming he was a draft-dodger.  They demanded a pay-off for not taking him to the army recruitment office. . Fearing for his life, the man handed over over $3,000 in cash, just to escape their clutches.

Investigation found taht one one the conmen was  a former police officer with a string of criminal cases on his record. Two of his accomplices had also had run-ins with the law in the past.

During raids on the suspects’ homes, officers seized  fake uniforms, cash, credit cards, and even drug paraphernalia. they now face serious charges for extortion, with the possibility of up to 12 years behind bars crimes as well. More charges could be in store as investigation can reveal their connection to other crimes.