The Kremenets District Court sentenced Pavlo Obolonchik, a 38-year-old resident of the Kremenets region, to 10 years in prison for organizing fake funds on social media allegedly for the treatment of wounded soldiers. The verdict was handed down on July 10, 2025.
According to the investigation, in 2022, the man decided to make money through fraud: he created posts on Facebook with touching photos of Ukrainian Armed Forces fighters and fake medical documents, calling on Ukrainians to send money for help. To do this, he used the bank cards of his roommate and acquaintances. He distributed ads in popular social network groups. In a few months, the fraudster collected more than 66 thousand hryvnias.
During the investigation, law enforcement officers found that three Facebook accounts were registered on his mobile phone, through which fake gatherings were published. The applications contained photos of the wounded, medical certificates, and card numbers. Despite being in pre-trial detention, the accused had access to the phone and the Internet.
At trial, Obolonchyk pleaded not guilty, stating that these were all fabrications by his roommate, who allegedly acted on the instructions of the police. However, the prosecution's evidence convinced the court of the opposite. Moreover, the man had outstanding criminal records, including a sentence for grand theft in 2024. Given his recidivism, he was given the final sentence of 10 years in prison.
The court decision can still be appealed in the appellate court.
