Draft-age men illegal border-crossing scheme: new suspects (PHOTOS)

NABU and SAPO, in cooperation with the SSU, have served charges on five more persons involved in organizing the illegal traveling of draft-age men abroad to avoid mobilization.

As established, the judges of the court passed decisions to establish the residence of a minor with his father, enabling the adult to use it as a pretext to travel abroad with the child.

'Clients' were searched for on social media, while each court decision cost USD 1,500 to USD 3,500.

The detectives established that during 2022-2023, more than 1,000 of such decisions were passed. Meanwhile, there were cases of men traveling abroad without their children, determining the child's place of residence in temporarily occupied territories, falsifying procedural documents by plaintiffs, and interfering with the automated court case distribution system.

In January, the transfer of USD 1,500 to one of the judges in exchange for a promise to issue a 'proper' decision was documented. The judge was served with charges under Part 3, Art. 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

On July 30, this judge was notified of new suspicion (Part 3 Art. 368, Part 3 Art. 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Additionally, five other persons were also charged:

• an advocate (Part 3 Art. 369, Part 3 Art. 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine);
• an advocate's assistant (Part 5 Art. 27, Part 3 Art. 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine);
• an intermediary (Part 3 Art. 369, Part 5 Art. 27, Part 3 Art. 369 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine);
• the court session secretary (Part 3 Art. 369 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine);
• the court consultant responsible for the distribution of cases (Part 2 Art. 376-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The investigation is ongoing. NABU and SAPO are identifying other possible participants in the crime.