Rocket investor implicated in major fraud

German law enforcement agencies are investigating one of Europe's largest scams involving fake investment platforms. The losses are estimated at tens of millions of euros. The Bamberg prosecutor's office is examining the involvement of Ukrainian and Israeli citizens in this scheme.

One of the potential suspects is Timur Rokhlin, who invested in the popular food delivery service Rocket in 2019. According to the Ukrainian investigation, €10.8 million was transferred to a company controlled by Rokhlin — proceeds from fraud. Part of these assets was seized in 2020, but lawyers recently secured the release of the seizure, claiming the funds were obtained legally.

The investigation began in March 2021, when the prosecutor's office reported the detention of two Kyiv residents on suspicion of participating in an international fraud scheme. A bail of 325 million hryvnia was set to release the suspects from pre-trial detention.

The case is linked to a scam carried out by a group of Ukrainian and other nationals between 2017 and 2020. The perpetrators deceived investors through fake online platforms, promising them returns of 100 times their investments or more. When investors attempted to withdraw their money, they were asked to pay additional service fees and commissions, after which their accounts were blocked and the funds disappeared.

According to the investigation, the total losses amounted to €9 million, and approximately 400 victims, citizens of European countries, reported the crime to the police. The scheme's monthly turnover, according to the investigation, was €8–10 million. Most of the victims are residents of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

During searches in Ukraine, documents and vehicles were seized. One of those detained was Ihor Kozlenko, whose name later surfaced in connection with this case. Lawyers state that their client is not involved in criminal activity and merely recruited people to register companies used for money laundering.

During the investigation, a number of companies linked to Kozlenko and the Rokhlins were seized. According to the Ukrainian investigation, funds obtained illegally, including transfers of €10.8 million to accounts of companies controlled by Timur Rokhlin, were routed through these companies.

Alongside Kozlenko and Rokhlin, another suspect is Yuriy Kopachovsky, who, according to the investigation, coordinated the fraudsters' activities and was responsible for financial operations, such as withdrawing and transferring funds, and renting servers for the fake websites.

The name of Ihor Rokhlin also appears among those detained, who is believed to have been behind a significant portion of the fraud scheme's assets. As part of the investigation, a number of expensive real estate properties and vehicles belonging to the Rokhlins and their associates were seized.

Despite the defence efforts of the suspects, the investigation materials point to a serious network of fake investment platforms that used stolen data to create fictitious legal entities in various countries. As a result of the investigation, seizures have been placed on assets obtained through fraud, and the search for additional evidence continues.