An extortion scheme of $8.5 thousand from military personnel who wanted to return after AWOL was uncovered in Odesa region
Employees of the State Bureau of Investigation in Odesa region exposed a serviceman of one of the military units and a foreigner who, according to the investigation, demanded money from military personnel wishing to return to service after AWOL. This was reported by the SBI.
According to the investigation, for $8.5 thousand USD, the suspects promised to influence the decision of the military unit's command and ensure obtaining written consent for further service without considering the fact of unauthorized leave.
The SBI notes that military personnel who refused to pay were threatened with deployment to the combat zone or criminal prosecution.
The SBI officers detained both suspects immediately after receiving the next part of the agreed sum.
The suspects were notified of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 28, Part 3 of Article 369-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — receiving unlawful benefit for oneself by influencing the decision of a person authorized to perform state functions, committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy.
The court chose a preventive measure for the suspects in the form of detention with the alternative of bail in the amount of 3.3 million hryvnias.
The sanction of the incriminated article provides for punishment in the form of imprisonment for a term of three to eight years with confiscation of property.
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