A joint investigation by Latvian and Ukrainian authorities, supported by Eurojust, has shut down a fraudulent call centre in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Operated by an organised crime group, the scam call centre defrauded European residents of hundreds of thousands of euros. Following a joint action day on 26 May, four leaders of the organised crime group were arrested, five individuals were identified as suspects and 14 searches were executed.
The scam call centre was run by an organised crime group based in Kharkiv, Ukraine, which targeted older individuals who had previously fallen victim to fraud. Exploiting victims’ vulnerability, call centre operators falsely promised to recover lost funds while repeatedly defrauding them of additional money.
The operators created misleading investment offers, including in cryptocurrencies, and used fabricated reports to convince victims that their investments had generated profits. They also established fraudulent credit agreements, created without the victims’ knowledge or consent.
The call centre operated under tight internal control and security measures, including a strict entry pass and access control regime at the office premises, video surveillance systems and staff screening using polygraph testing.
After a group of victims in Latvia reported the fraud to the authorities, investigators were able to trace the criminal network to Ukraine, prompting immediate cooperation with Ukrainian law enforcement authorities. A joint investigation team (JIT) was established through Eurojust in April 2026 enabling Latvian and Ukrainian authorities to work closely together, exchange evidence and information, and develop a coordinated prosecutorial strategy.
A joint action carried out on 26 May 2026 led to the shutting down of the call centre and resulted in:
- Four arrests
- 14 searches which include the seizure of equipment including computers, 49 mobile phones, vehicles and other material evidence
The actions were carried out by the following authorities:
- Latvia: Riga Judicial Regional Prosecution Office; Cybercrime Enforcement Department of the State Police of Latvia
- Ukraine: Division for Combating Cyber Security Crimes, Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine; Main Investigation Department of National Police of Ukraine; Cyber Police Department in Kharkiv region of National Police of Ukraine; Main Division of Counterintelligence Protection of State’s Interests in the Sphere of Information Security of Main Department of Security Service of Ukraine in Kharkiv region
Eurojust is an agency of the European Union