Ukrainian man detained for phone scams and money laundering
A 35-year-old man from Ukraine was detained in Căușeni on suspicion of involvement in a phone scam.
Law enforcement officials report that the suspect allegedly recruited couriers to collect money obtained from scams, which he then converted into cryptocurrencies to conceal the illegal origins of the funds.
Investigators say the man operated in the Transnistrian region, where he collected money from couriers before converting it into digital assets. While the total value of the damages has not yet been determined, authorities describe it as a "considerable amount."
Preliminary investigations reveal that members of the group contacted victims, initially posing as employees of the Moldovan Post or telecommunications companies. Later, they presented themselves as representatives of the National Bank of Moldova, the Intelligence and Security Service, or the Police, in an attempt to persuade victims to transfer large sums of money.
Police have also discovered that the suspect is wanted for illegally crossing the state border.
A 30-day pre-trial detention order was issued against him, and criminal investigations are ongoing to document the full extent of the criminal activity and identify other individuals involved.
Under current legislation, anyone found guilty of such offences faces a prison sentence of up to 10 years.
