JIT into alleged core international crimes committed in Ukraine

2 March 2022 - Just six days after the outbreak of full-scale war, Eurojust organises a coordination meeting at the request of the Lithuanian, Polish and Ukrainian national authorities to discuss the prosecution of alleged core international crimes committed in Ukraine.

25 March 2022  - A JIT agreement is signed between the three national authorities, supported by Eurojust and the JITs Network Secretariat.

Up until March 2023, Eurojust hosts 16 coordination meetings of the JIT and other national authorities that are investigating alleged core international crimes committed in Ukraine. Prosecutors and investigators from 26 EU Member States and 10 third countries participate to map out the best strategy for the investigation.

25 April 2022 - In its first-ever participation in a JIT, the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court joins as a participant. The JITs Network Secretariat is pivotal in facilitating the cooperation of the ICC which enables rapid and real-time coordination with the JIT partner countries, in connection with investigations conducted by the ICC and competent national authorities.

30 May 2022 - Estonia, Latvia and Slovakia join the JIT.

13 October 2022 - Romania joins as the JIT’s latest member.

2 February 2023 - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announces the establishment of an International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine (ICPA), to be based at Eurojust.

3 March 2023 - The JIT’s seven national authorities sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the United States Department of Justice to enhance coordination between their respective investigations into the war in Ukraine.

4 March 2023 - During the United for Justice Conference in Lviv, the JIT’s seven partner countries agree to amend the JIT agreement to reflect the future role of the ICPA.

Takedown of infrastructure of call centres involved in online investment fraud responsible for losses of at least EUR 20 million

Crime: An international OCG commits online investment fraud by convincing victims online and by telephone to make payments to invest in cryptocurrencies. The OCG uses a large-scale IT infrastructure that includes tens of virtual servers, connected by computers in call centres.

The perpetrators install remote access programmes that allow them to illegally access the victims’ computers and steal their banking credentials. More than 30 000 people from around 71 countries (with roughly 522 victims registered in Estonia alone) are defrauded of at least EUR 20 million.

Action: Authorities in Finland, the Netherlands, Latvia, France, Germany and Ukraine support a joint operation on 21 April 2022 to disrupt and paralyse the criminal activities of the OCG.

Result: More than 50 servers are seized (taken down and data copied), in Finland, the Netherlands, Latvia, France and Germany.

Eurojust's Role: Eurojust facilitates judicial cooperation by setting up and funding a JIT. Two coordination meetings are organised to coordinate the national investigations and prepare for the action day. To support the action day, Eurojust sets up a coordination centre to enable rapid cooperation between the involved judicial authorities.