Operation Carthage: NABU Detains Official of the Prosecutor General’s Office for “Covering” Call Centers
НАБУ
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP) on Friday, September 4, detained an official of the Prosecutor General’s Office, Serhiy Kropyva, as part of the special operation “Carthage”. Anti-corruption authorities suspect the group he leads of “covering” a network of fraudulent call centers and legalizing property obtained through criminal means.
This was reported by the NABU press service .
NABU detectives and SAPO prosecutors entered the building of the Prosecutor General’s Office to conduct investigative actions. According to sources in business circles, NABU employees entered the territory of the agency by climbing over a fence with ladders.
“NABU and SAPO are conducting a special operation to expose a criminal organization led by an official of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine, involved in covering up a network of fraudulent call centers and legalizing property. Details to follow,” the NABU statement said.
The detainee was Serhiy Kropyva, who at the time of the detention was the head of the cyber department of the Prosecutor General’s Office, who also held the position of deputy head of the department’s International Cooperation Department.
The Prosecutor General’s Office confirmed the possible involvement of one of the department’s employees in illegal activities related to the operation of fraudulent call centers.
“All circumstances must be established by the investigation. The Prosecutor General’s Office will provide anti-corruption authorities with full assistance and all necessary information within the framework of the law,” the UCP commented.
The department emphasized that this episode should receive an objective legal assessment in accordance with the procedure established by law. In addition, the UCP reported that the employee, who is being checked for possible involvement in illegal activities, will be suspended from his duties for the duration of the pre-trial investigation.
MP Oleksiy Honcharenko reported that NABU detained the Deputy Head of the International Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office, Serhiy Kropyva, and published photos from the scene of the detention.
According to Honcharenko, Kropyva was once “brought” to the Prosecutor General’s Office by the husband of former Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova.
From 2005 to 2021, Kropyva worked in the structures of the internal affairs bodies and the National Police of Ukraine, where he held senior positions in the Cyber Police Department for a long time, in particular, he was the first deputy head of the department.
In 2022, he became an advisor to the then Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova, after which, without competition, he headed the newly created department dealing with countering crimes in the field of economics and cybersecurity.
During 2023–2025, Kropyva worked as Deputy Head of the Odessa Regional State Administration for Digital Development, Digital Transformations, and Digitalization in the team of Head of the Regional State Administration, Oleh Kiper. Later, he returned to the Prosecutor General’s Office.
The Prosecutor General’s Office stated that systematic work to combat fraudulent call centers is ongoing. According to the department, over the past twelve months there have been:
- over 1,050 searches were conducted;
- About 340 fraudulent call centers were shut down;
- More than five thousand operator positions have been suspended;
- Ukrainian prosecutors have been involved in the work of 37 international joint investigation teams under the coordination of Eurojust and the support of Europol;
- investigations have been initiated in 147 criminal proceedings;
- More than 183 people were reported as suspicious;
- Indictments against 93 people were sent to court.
The estimated amount of losses suffered by victims of fraudulent call centers amounts to tens of millions of hryvnias.
The day before, People’s Deputy from the European Solidarity faction Oleksiy Honcharenko reported that employees of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine are conducting investigative actions in the Office of the President.
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