29.03.2025 Cybercrimes Kyiv

Is EU money for Ukraine’s reconstruction in the pockets of government crooks?

Have you ever received a call from a “bank employee” warning of a “threat to your account”? Or an offer of a “unique investment” that promises mountains of gold? If so, you could be the target of an organized criminal network operating right in the heart of Kyiv – at 5 Velyka Vasylkivska Street, in the Arena business center.

This address, according to our information, is home to a call center that earns hundreds of thousands of dollars every month by stealing from citizens of Ukraine, Europe, and Asia. At the center of this scheme is Dmytro Lyashko, who is the main organizer of the large-scale fraud.

How does the fraud machine work?

The schemes used by Lyashko’s organization have two main areas: “bank fraud” and “investment mirage”. Both are based on psychological manipulation, careful preparation, and technologies that make it difficult to track.

Figure 1: “Your account is at risk”

It all starts with a call. Call center operators armed with databases of phone numbers (probably illegally acquired) call victims, hiding their numbers through fake IDs or VPNs. They introduce themselves as bank employees – say, from PrivatBank, Oschadbank, or even foreign institutions – and say: “Suspicious activity has been detected on your account.”

The victim is convinced that “immediate action” will save their money. Operators ask for confidential data: card number, CVV code, passwords or SMS codes for “protection”. Once the information is in their hands, the money instantly disappears – transferred to drop accounts, and from there to cryptocurrencies controlled by Lyashko and his team.

Operators undergo special training. They have ready-made conversation scripts that adapt to the victim’s reaction, from intimidation to friendly “help.”

Figure 2: “Investments that will make you a millionaire”

The second area is the offer of fictitious investments. Victims are promised super profits from investing in “reliable” platforms or financial instruments. To be convincing, fraudsters have created a network of fake websites that look like legitimate investment portals. On these sites, victims can “see” their funds “growing” – all of which is just an illusion created to deceive them.

Operators put pressure on the sense of urgency. Victims transfer thousands of hryvnias, dollars, or euros, and then the connection is cut off – the websites disappear, and the phones become unavailable.

Call Center on Velyka Vasylkivska Street

The Arena business center on the 5th floor is in full swing every day. About 80 operators sit at their computers and call victims from Ukraine, Europe and Asia. Vladyslav Fomenko, whom Lyashko appointed as director, is in charge of this center.

The technological base is impressive: remote servers with floating VPNs, CRM systems for contact management, Telegram and WhatsApp accounts for coordination. All this allows criminals to stay in the shadows. And to make victims believe in legitimacy, operators show fake documents, fake licenses and certificates that pass them off as representatives of real financial institutions.

Where does the money go?

The path of the loot is clearly traced:

  1. The victim transfers the money to the accounts of “drops” – front companies that often do not even realize they are being used.
  2. The money is split through a series of transactions and transferred into cryptocurrency – bitcoin or other coins that are difficult to trace.
  3. The funds are deposited in crypto wallets controlled by Lyashko and his inner circle.

We estimate the call center’s monthly revenue to be between $300,000 and $400,000. The lion’s share goes to Lyashko as the organizer. The rest is distributed among key participants and others.

Interestingly, payments to employees are made irregularly – once or twice a month, in cash or on crypto wallets.

Psychological pressure and cynicism

Fraudsters don’t just steal – they play on emotions. Victims are intimidated by losses or tempted by wealth. This pressure makes people act quickly without checking the information.

One example of cynicism is the use of fake websites with a “live” interface. The victim sees his or her “investment” supposedly growing and invests even more, not realizing that these are just numbers on the screen.

Why haven’t they been caught yet?

Lyashko’s organization works like clockwork:

  • The stages of the fraud are clearly defined – from calls to withdrawals.
  • Technologies (VPN, cryptocurrency) make it difficult to track.
  • Fake documents create the illusion of legitimacy.
  • Droppers take the main risk, diverting attention from the organizers.

This allows criminals to avoid detection and continue to steal from people around the world.

In addition, despite the materials we sent and the criminal proceedings initiated (Office of the Prosecutor General Nº 42025000000000058 under Part 4 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, Holosiivskyi District Prosecutor’s Office of Kyiv Nº 42025102010000004 of 31.01.2025 Part 5 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, etc.), the case is not being investigated, because the activities of such institutions are covered up at the highest level. And it’s not just the local prosecutor’s office or the police. The cover-up extends deep into the leadership of the National Police, the SBU, and the Cyber Police.

And so far, the scheme affects everyone: from pensioners in Ukraine who give away their last savings to businessmen in Europe and Asia who invest in non-existent projects. Ukrainian security forces simply “forget” about the case.

Therefore, if you receive a call from an unfamiliar number with a “lucrative offer,” check everything twice. Your money may already be in the crosshairs.

Did you witness a crime?

Let us know about it. We will help protect the violated rights!

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