SBU Reports Breaking Up Militants’ Money Laundering Operation

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) blocked the activities of an online front that was used to launder money for militants from the unrecognized republics in the non-government controlled territories in eastern Ukraine, the press service of the SBU reported on Thursday, July 21.

The organizers were laundering the money through web services specifically created for the purpose and the resources of several non-bank payment systems. The clients of the illegal business included structures from the temporarily occupied territories. The money that was partially used to finance the illegal armed groups, were delivered to them via Russia.

During the searches in the offices of the perpetrators in Kyiv and Kharkiv, law enforcement officers seized over ₴20 million, $200,000, and €120,000. They also found ‘black accounts’, computers, mobile gadgets, bank cards, IDs and passwords to access the web services.

Criminal proceedings have been started, the investigation is underway.

Source: Ukrayinska Pravda