Operation Carthage: NABU charges five suspects, including SBU and National Police officials, in corruption scheme

In brief

• NABU and the anti-corruption prosecutor charged five members of a criminal group uncovered in the Carthage operation.
• Two suspects are serving officers of the SBU and the National Police.
• The group allegedly shielded fraudulent call centers, drug sales and other crimes, with at least 12 members.
• Presidential Office head Kyrylo Budanov called for an independent investigation and equal application of the law.

Five suspects charged

NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office announced suspicion notices against five participants in a criminal organization exposed the previous day under the Carthage operation (Генерал СБУ, посадовець Нацполіції та кримінальний авторитет: кому НАБУ оголосило підозри у справі «Карфаген» – TSN) (Операция Карфаген. НАБУ и САП сообщили о подозрении пяти фигурантам, среди которых должностные лица СБУ и Нацполиции – NV). The suspects include the group's organizer, a first deputy head of a department of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), a head of a National Police department, a deputy head of a criminal investigation unit in the Kyiv region police, and a subordinate of the organizer.

Alleged activities

Investigators say the organizer, a previously convicted individual, set up the group and brought in serving officials from the SBU, the Prosecutor General's Office and the National Police, along with figures from the criminal underworld («Это еще не все записи». Почему дело Карфаген — это история не о классической коррупции и куда уходят корни схемы — разговор с Божко – NV). Under cover of law enforcement positions, the members allegedly protected fraudulent call centers that targeted Ukrainians and foreigners, drug sales, production of counterfeit cigarettes and forged foreign currency, as well as planned attacks, abductions and assaults.

NABU said the group comprised at least 12 people. Bribes were reportedly paid to officials to shield the illegal businesses.

Reactions and searches

Head of the Presidential Office Kyrylo Budanov said the law applies equally to everyone and that rank and authority cannot exempt anyone from liability. He called for an objective, independent investigation (Закон один для всіх: Буданов прокоментував нові плівки у межах операції "Карфаген" – Espreso) («Закон один для всех». Буданов отреагировал на обыски у высокопоставленных сотрудников СБУ и Нацполиции – NV). Ukrainian media reported searches at the premises of officials including the head of the SBU's internal security directorate and the head of the Kyiv region National Police criminal investigation department (Буданов про гучні викриття корупції серед правоохоронців: Потрібні сильні дії – Українська правда) (В рамках дела Карфаген прошли обыски у главы Нацполиции Киевской области Андрея Рубеля — СМИ – NV). Journalists also reported that searches were conducted at the home of the head of the Kyiv region National Police, who was not detained.

Political analyst Yaroslav Bozhko said the case is not a classic corruption story and questioned how far its roots extend beyond the officials already implicated.