At a time when Ukraine is on the defensive and volunteers are saving lives every day, there are those who cynically profit from people's trust and good intentions. One such scheme was recently exposed: scammers were hiding under the name of Roman Bochkala, a war journalist and co-founder of the NGO "Stop Corruption".
The attackers created a fake account for the Telegram channel “Bochkala WAR” — a well-known volunteer platform through which more than 35 million hryvnias were raised for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They copied the style, photos, and even publications, and then wrote to Ukrainians on behalf of Roman Bochkala, inventing urgent funds for the front. The messages promised symbolic “gifts from the war”: flags, tubes, or souvenirs. In reality, no one received anything.
According to victims, the scheme looked so plausible that people sent money without hesitation. It was only when it became clear that the real Bochkala WAR team had nothing to do with it that the truth came out.
Cyber police quickly tracked the movement of funds and caught the fraudsters - a couple from Cherkasy. In their apartment, phones with fake accounts were found not only of Bochkaly, but also of other well-known volunteers. The detainees are charged with part 2 of article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - fraud, which provides for up to three years in prison.
After being exposed, one of the scammers recorded a video apologizing, but the damage had already been done: tens of thousands of hryvnias were stolen, and most importantly, trust in the volunteer movement was undermined.
Roman Bochkala emphasizes: the main blow of such scams is not the lost funds, but the doubt that appears in people who are ready to help. "When the name of volunteers is slandered, then next time someone may not dare to donate, fearing fraud. This is the most dangerous thing," the journalist notes.
This story is a reminder to everyone: it is vital to check information before transferring money. After all, every hryvnia that falls into the hands of scammers could save the lives of our defenders.
