Kyiv law enforcement officers detained two local residents who illegally acquired over three million hryvnias by promising to manufacture a so-called “laser weapon” for a military serviceman from the United States serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Fraud Scheme: Promises and Demonstration of the “Device”
The investigation revealed that in July 2023, a 74-year-old Kyiv resident and his 59-year-old accomplice posed as the heads of a private enterprise allegedly engaged in the development and sale of weapons. They convinced an American volunteer fighting with the Armed Forces of Ukraine that they were testing laser devices for “blinding” enemy drones.
The fraudsters promised to create a device capable of not only downing drones but even ballistic missiles for 85 thousand US dollars. To back up their claims, they demonstrated a device to the serviceman, which, according to them, “burned” the wing of a Shahed UAV from a distance of about eight meters.
Acquisition of Funds and Accountability
Over a certain period, the fraudsters received more than 3.2 million hryvnias in installments from the victim, but they never delivered the promised development. Investigators found that the detainees had no technical capabilities or intentions to manufacture such a device.
The victim in the case is a US citizen of Ukrainian descent — a volunteer and founder of a military training school in Ukraine, who has been voluntarily serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine since the first days of the Russian invasion.
During the investigation, the serviceman was already refunded 20 thousand US dollars.
Both suspects have been charged with fraud. According to the law, they face imprisonment for a term of five to twelve years with asset confiscation.