Foreign passport for $500: The Security Service of Ukraine uncovered a scheme for producing documents for men without military registration

A corruption scheme for remotely issuing passports to men abroad without registering them for military service has been uncovered in the Odesa region.

This was reported by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).

“Those involved set up a corrupt system for receiving money from men of conscription age who are outside Ukraine and attempting to remotely obtain passports. This scheme allowed military-age men to avoid returning to Ukraine, registering for military service, and updating their data with territorial recruitment centers,” the statement said.

The head of a district migration service office, two of his subordinates, and an official from the regional Administrative Services Center have been detained.

To process documents without the owners’ presence, officials from the State Migration Service used their own fingerprints and took photographs from remotely sent images. The completed passports were delivered to the clients through a network of intermediaries. The cost of such services ranged from $500 to $2,500, depending on the urgency.

During 57 searches conducted at the workplaces and residences of the suspects, the following were seized:

• Over $300,000 and more than €60,000;
• Nearly 200 seals and stamps used in illegal activities.

According to the investigation, the culprits received orders to remotely process over 150 documents. The investigation is ongoing to determine all the details of the crime. The perpetrators face up to 8 years in prison.

Law enforcement officials state that the fraudulent documents issued during the operation of this criminal group will be invalidated.