{
  "id": 18335478,
  "title": "Korruption in der Ukraine: Ukrainischer Callcenterbetrug: Verdächtige in Staatsorganen",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/05/korruption-in-der-ukraine-ukrainischer-callcenterbetrug-verdachtige",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-11-05T16:02:38.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Handelsblatt",
    "slug": "handelsblatt",
    "url": "https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/international/korruption-in-der-ukraine-ukrainischer-callcenterbetrug-verdaechtige-in-staatsorganen/100267681.html"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "Large-scale investigations into call center fraud in Ukraine have implicated high-ranking police officers and a secret service agent in accepting bribes. State-run investigators claimed that members of a criminal gang had systematically granted unlawful advantages to high-ranking state employees to ensure the unimpeded operation of fraudulent call centers and other illicit activities. The bribes reportedly went to secret service agents, prosecutors, and police officers who were tasked with covering fraudulent call centers, drug sales, and the production of counterfeit currency. A video showed the production of 200 euro banknotes that passed falsified currency tests. At least a dozen members were part of the criminal organization, which was also accused of involvement in assaults, kidnappings, and serious bodily harm. Video footage also revealed threats made against Ukrainian journalists and extortion of investigators during one raid. On Wednesday, the acting head of the secret service, Olexander Poklad, dismissed two unnamed high-ranking employees who were reportedly involved in the investigation. One message from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) stated that a SBU employee threatened the investigators with a weapon during a house search. Earlier reports from NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) in early September presented initial findings of traces leading to the Ukrainian prosecutor's office, leading to the resignation of General Prosecutor Ruslan Krawtschenko and his flight to Austria. According to media reports, more than 2,000 illegal call centers operated in Ukraine at the beginning of the year. Swiss non-governmental organization Global Initiative estimates that over 60,000 employees in Ukraine generate monthly revenues of up to 900 million euros from fraudulent calls, mainly to neighboring Russia and Ukraine, but increasingly targeting European Union countries like Germany. Ukraine's anti-fraud legislation was tightened in mid-September.",
  "summary": "Betrügerische Anrufe, Drogenhandel, Geldfälschung und Schmiergelder: Ermittler sehen ranghoch Polizisten, Staatsanwälte und Geheimdienstler in einem kriminellen Netzwerk. Wie weit reicht der Fall?",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}