NABU and SAP uncover evidence linking 'Carthage' suspects to gambling business

New details in case on 'protection' of fraudulent schemes

Within the framework of the 'Carthage' criminal proceedings, law enforcement agencies have obtained evidence that the case suspects may have gone beyond controlling fraudulent call centres to involve the gambling business in their activities. This is reported by sources in law enforcement agencies, cited by the publication 'Slidstvo.Info'.

A key role in this new version is played by Ivan Tymoshenko, former head of the Department of Information Technologies of the Office of the Prosecutor General. It is his voice, according to investigation data, that appears on recordings where the gambling sector is discussed.

Suspect status and links with other figures

Ivan Tymoshenko was charged within the 'Carthage' operation conducted by the NABU and the SAP. On 22 October, the High Anti-Corruption Court selected a preventive measure in the form of detention with the possibility of bail in the amount of 8 million hryvnia.

The investigation established that Tymoshenko maintained friendly relations with Serhiy Kropyva, who is suspected of organising a scheme to 'protect' fraudulent call centres, at least since 2020. The two worked together in senior positions, specifically in the National Police, the Odesa Regional State Administration, and the Office of the Prosecutor General.

According to the investigation's version, Tymoshenko facilitated the organisation of the criminal scheme's operations. To this end, he appointed Danylo Slipchuk to the Department of Information Technologies of the Office of the Prosecutor General. Through the latter, scheme participants received cash from call centres, exchanged it for other currencies, and transferred funds into cryptocurrency. Tymoshenko also allegedly sought 'couriers' to transport cash, using passwords and cars with stolen number plates to conceal the operations.

Bribes from representatives of so-called 'offices' were passed by Tymoshenko to Kropyva and distributed among other members of the organisation, according to investigation data. The suspect's position gave him access to the Unified Register of Pre-Trial Investigations, which, in the opinion of investigators, allowed scheme participants to monitor the situation around call centres.

Recording of conversation about gambling and OnlyFans

Journalists obtained a conversation where, according to investigation data, the voices of Ivan Tymoshenko and Ihor Panchenko, Deputy Head of the State Tax Service, are heard. The dialogue discusses the spheres of influence of the suspects.

Fragment of the conversation:

P.: And this, wait, OnlyFans — understood. And what is so special about your popular thing? Scammers, call centres — is that your topic?

T.: Well, we.

P.: Phones, yours, right?

T.: Well, we investigate who, what it is.

P.: Listen, okay, and here is gambling, here is online gambling – is that also your topic?

T.: Well, yes.

P.: Oh, and you work with these, with PlayCity? This new crap in the Ministry of Digital Transformation that regulates gambling? No?

T.: No, in principle we can.

P.: Well, you don't deal with this? This is your sphere.

T.: We currently have some content…

P.: There is money there, there is shit, brother. It is just shit. It is not a unit.

T.: No, well.

P.: There are hundreds of them, there is a whole army.

It is worth noting that the Department of Information Technologies of the Office of the Prosecutor General, where Tymoshenko worked until 11 September, is responsible for digital transformation, technical support, and information security of prosecution bodies, and not for investigating crimes in the sphere of fraud or gambling.

Dialogue about 'tapping' and numbers

It also became known about another conversation, on which, according to investigators, the voices resemble those of Tymoshenko and Kropyva. It discusses the price of services and data analysis.

Fragment of the conversation:

K.: What is there?

T.: Vasylych, about what we talked about, that they are 'tapping', on what.

K.: Price?

T.: Yes, price.

K.: Well, probably in any case. Well, what, even a fool understands.

T.: But Danya has already reviewed everything, said: we are not there.

K.: Good that there are people who…

T.: Well, like, for the plot nothing, but from 800 how many? 10 people?

K.: Ah, these are 800 numbers, like, right?

T.: Well, 860 numbers, and there are 10 plots.

K.: But there are many who did not formalise, did not complete the formalisation in their name. Ivan Oleksandrovych (laughs). There are smarter ones, damn it.