NABU raids Ukraine prosecutor general's office in call-center fraud probe

September 9, 2026 at 10:53 AM2 min

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Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) searched the Prosecutor General's Office in Kyiv on September 9, 2026, targeting a criminal group suspected of protecting fraudulent call centers and laundering money. A senior prosecutor was detained and will be suspended during the investigation, while the Prosecutor General's Office pledged full cooperation.

Key Facts

NABU and SAPO searched the Prosecutor General's Office in Kyiv on September 9, 2026.
Deputy head of the international legal cooperation department Serhiy Kropyva was detained.
Odesa regional military administration head Oleh Kiper was also searched; Kropyva previously served as his deputy.
President Volodymyr Zelensky submitted a bill to the Verkhovna Rada raising penalties for call-center fraud to up to 12 years for organizers.
Earlier, Ukraine's National Police raided 94 call centers nationwide, seizing about $2 million, 64,000 euros, gold bars, and jewelry.

The Raid

NABU and SAPO conducted a large-scale special operation on September 9, 2026, targeting a criminal organization suspected of illegally protecting a network of fraudulent call centers and laundering money. Investigators believe a Prosecutor General's Office employee played a key role in the scheme. Searches took place directly inside the Prosecutor General's Office building in Kyiv. The Prosecutor General's Office confirmed the searches and stated its readiness to fully cooperate with anti-corruption authorities. The office clarified that the suspicions do not personally involve Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko, and the employee implicated in the investigation will be suspended from work during the inquiry.

Detentions and Wider Searches

Media reports identified the detained official as Serhiy Kropyva, deputy head of the international legal cooperation department of the Prosecutor General's Office. Searches also targeted Oleh Kiper, head of the Odesa regional military administration, for whom Kropyva previously worked as a deputy. The operation coincided with a legislative push by President Volodymyr Zelensky, who submitted a bill to the Verkhovna Rada the day before that significantly toughens penalties for fraudulent call centers. Under the proposed law, organizers of such schemes could face up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property, while rank-and-file employees and landlords of premises could face up to 10 years.

National Crackdown

Ukraine's National Police had previously conducted a nationwide raid, eliminating 94 similar call centers. During those searches, law enforcement seized about $2 million, 64,000 euros, gold bars, and jewelry. Citizens of several countries suffer en masse from the actions of such structures, and the call centers are often used for recruiting people to commit acts of sabotage.