Ukrainian nationals charged in Polish fraud scheme worth 5 million PLN

The Lublin Regional Prosecutor's Office concluded an investigation into a criminal group that defrauded dozens of Polish citizens of approximately 5 million PLN between 2024 and 2025. The scheme operated call centres that impersonated bank employees and used fake investment platforms, phishing links and BLIK codes to obtain money from victims in cities such as Gdańsk, Kraków and Poznań. The group also employed “drop” accounts, which were bank accounts opened by third parties who were paid to receive illicit funds. Victims lost sums ranging from a few thousand to up to 906 thousand PLN. The proceeds were quickly moved through ATMs, exchanged for cryptocurrencies or transferred to accounts held by other individuals to obscure their origin. Four Ukrainian citizens have been indicted, including 33‑year‑old Vitalii K., known as “Automat,” who is alleged to have organised the operation locally. He faces 74 charges, including 35 counts of fraud and 35 counts of money‑laundering, and has been temporarily detained. The indictment has been forwarded to the District Court in Gdańsk, where the accused face up to ten years imprisonment.