A 35-year-old conman stole 1.2 million UAH from the wife of a missing soldier; a court in Dnipropetrovsk region has delivered its verdict (PHOTO).

A court process has concluded in Kryvyi Rih regarding a 35-year-old man accused of large-scale fraud committed under martial law. The court found him guilty of defrauding over 1.2 million hryvnias from the wife of a missing soldier. This information was reported by "Vidomo" citing the Specialized Prosecutor's Office for Defense in the Eastern Region.

According to the investigation materials, the perpetrator convinced the woman that her husband was a prisoner of Russian forces. He posed as an individual with extensive connections in the intelligence services and allegedly capable of assisting in the soldier's release. This claim became the basis for extorting money.

From October 2023 to March 2024, the woman transferred significant sums of money to the fraudster's accounts. She believed that these funds would be used to cover "necessary procedures" for her husband's release.

In reality, the accused spent the money on his personal needs. He made no attempts to free anyone and shamelessly deceived the woman, preying on her feelings and emotions.

After reviewing all the gathered evidence, the court found the man guilty on several counts of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

He was charged with fraud in particularly large amounts committed under martial law (Part 4, Part 5 Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Additionally, the court also established the defendant's guilt in unlawfully assuming the powers of a public official (Part 1 Article 353 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The defendant was sentenced to six years in prison with confiscation of property.