Ukraine anti-corruption agencies expose alleged graft ring shielding call centers

September 7, 2026 at 10:39 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office said they uncovered a criminal organization that allegedly protected fraudulent call centers in exchange for bribes. The High Anti-Corruption Court on Sunday remanded Serhiy Krapyva, head of the Prosecutor General's Office international cooperation department, in custody with bail set at 120 million hryvnias. Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko denied involvement and said he ordered polygraph checks for prosecutors handling call-center cases.

Key Facts

The investigation, named Carthage, has been running since mid-2025, according to NABU and SAP.
The High Anti-Corruption Court on Sunday remanded Serhiy Krapyva in custody with bail set at 120 million hryvnias, about $2.7 million.
Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko said law enforcement conducted over 1,050 searches, shut down about 340 call centers, and eliminated more than 5,000 operator positions in the past year.
Kravchenko denied giving instructions to protect call centers and said he ordered polygraph checks for prosecutors handling such cases.

The Alleged Scheme

NABU and SAP said the criminal organization provided protection to call centers whose operators called residents of Ukraine and European countries and defrauded them under various pretexts. Investigators believe officials received illegal payments in exchange for non-interference in the call centers' activities. The scheme operated from mid-2025, according to law enforcement. NABU identified a Prosecutor General's Office official with the pseudonym Chancellor as a key figure, acting with support from a person called Chef. Other pseudonyms in the case include Muza, Kamrad, and Flash.

Detention and Denials

The High Anti-Corruption Court on Sunday ordered Serhiy Krapyva, head of the Prosecutor General's Office international cooperation department, held in custody with bail set at 120 million hryvnias. Ukrainska Pravda, citing sources, reported that Krapyva is the main suspect and that the pseudonym Chef may refer to Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko. Kravchenko denied involvement in illegal call-center activities and said he did not order protection for them or use his powers as prosecutor general for that purpose. He said one employee of the Prosecutor General's Office was suspended after the investigation began. Kravchenko also commented on a circulated photo of a safe with money, saying the safe is not in the Prosecutor General's Office and has no relation to his office.

Official Response

Kravchenko ordered a review of the international cooperation department and the cybercrime counteraction unit. Prosecutors investigating illegal call-center cases must undergo polygraph tests, he said. He reported that over the past year law enforcement conducted more than 1,050 searches, shut down about 340 call centers, and eliminated over 5,000 operator positions. Media reported searches at the Prosecutor General's Office, and Kravchenko said investigators were given full access to his office and were not obstructed.