In Lviv region, law enforcement officers exposed a 58-year-old resident of Sheptytskyi district, suspected of fraud and influence peddling while “helping” to obtain a disability status. This was reported by the Sheptytskyi District Police Department.
According to the investigation, at the end of February the man introduced himself as an employee of the Medical and Social Expert Commission (MSEC) and promised one woman that he would help arrange a disability group for her son. In reality, as law enforcement officers established, he neither intended nor was able to fulfil this promise. Trusting the bogus official, the woman handed him 2,000 US dollars, and a few days later a further 600 dollars.
He convinced another victim that he had influence over officials and doctors and could help secure a disability group for her husband. In mid-March, the woman handed him 6,500 US dollars for this.
The offender was exposed by criminal police operatives and investigators of the Sheptytskyi District Police Department under the procedural supervision of the Sheptytskyi District Prosecutor’s Office. The man has been notified that he is under suspicion under Part 2 of Article 190 (fraud) and Part 3 of Article 369-2 (influence peddling) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
The sanctions under these articles provide for imprisonment for up to eight years with confiscation of property. The pre-trial investigation is ongoing.