A lawyer convinced his client—a military servicemember—that there was no legal way out and promised to “work things out” with investigators from the State Bureau of Investigation, the unit’s command, and the Territorial Military Command. The indictment has already been submitted to the court.
The Transcarpathian Regional Prosecutor’s Office has submitted the materials of the criminal case against a Transcarpathian lawyer to the courts. The man attempted to profit from a military servicemember who found himself in a difficult situation after leaving his unit without permission, demanding a substantial sum from him for allegedly resolving issues with law enforcement and the army command.
The Transcarpathian Regional Prosecutor’s Office officially announced the completion of the pretrial investigation.
Trading in “connections”: from dubious certificates to the “Oberig” system
According to the investigation materials, the illegal scheme unfolded in early 2026:
- Request for protection: A servicemember who had deserted his military unit came to the attorney. The man sought professional legal assistance to resolve the open criminal case through legal channels and to secure a lawful discharge from the Armed Forces of Ukraine;
- Psychological pressure: Instead of providing legal defense, the lawyer began to intimidate the client, insisting that without under-the-table payments, the situation was hopeless and there was no legal way forward. For a “turnkey solution,” he quoted a price of $9,000;
- First installment ($4,000): These funds were allegedly intended to have the State Bureau of Investigation (DBR) close the case and remove the client from the wanted list. The lawyer even provided the client with questionable documents purporting to show that the investigation had been suspended;
- Second installment ($5,000): the perpetrator demanded this money in exchange for corrupt assistance in securing discharge from military service through officials at the Territorial Recruitment Center (TRC), making changes to the “Oberig” electronic database, and reaching an agreement with the leadership of the military unit.
Caught Red-Handed and Legal Proceedings
The extorting attorney was apprehended in the Berehove district in May 2026 by officers of the Lviv Regional Office of the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) directly during the transfer of the second installment of an illegal benefit in the amount of $5,000.
The lawyer’s actions were classified under:
- Part 3 of Article 369-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine—receiving an unlawful benefit for oneself or a third party by influencing the decision-making of a person authorized to perform state functions, combined with extortion.
The defendant faces a sentence of imprisonment for a term of 3 to 8 years, along with confiscation of property.
The pretrial investigation was conducted by investigators from the Territorial Office of the State Bureau of Investigation in Lviv under the procedural supervision of the Zakarpattia and Lviv Regional Prosecutor’s Offices.
Editor’s note: In accordance with Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of a crime and may not be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt has been proven in accordance with the law and established by a court conviction.
Source: Transcarpathian Regional Prosecutor’s Office
