Deputy Head of Prosecutor General’s Office Detained for Shielding Fraudulent Call Centers and Amassing Luxury Assets
Operation 'Carthage' and Key Figures Involved
According to 5 канал: The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) has launched a high-profile investigation called 'Carthage,' which centers on Serhiy Kropyva, the Deputy Head of the Department of International Cooperation at the Prosecutor General’s Office. Authorities accuse Kropyva of providing protection to fraudulent call centers, with illicit proceeds funnelled into acquiring upscale real estate, luxury vehicles, and other valuable assets. The probe also implicates Kropyva’s relatives, including his wife and her family, who reportedly hold considerable wealth and possess Russian passports. Bribe payments linked to this case exceed 42 million hryvnias, and Kropyva has been detained with bail set at 120 million hryvnias.
Since 2023, Serhiy Kropyva has served as Deputy Head of the Department of International Cooperation at the Prosecutor General’s Office. Between 2023 and 2024, he also held the position of Deputy Head for Digital Development under Odesa Regional Military Administration leader Oleh Kiper. His career includes prior senior roles within the cyber police and earlier service at the Prosecutor General’s Office in 2022. Among his personal assets is a privatized apartment located in Zolotonosha.
Properties Acquired by Kropyva’s Family
Kropyva’s family began aggressively expanding their real estate holdings starting in 2020.
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His mother, Valentyna, has purchased several high-value properties since 2020, including:
- an apartment in the Comfort Town residential complex,
- a land plot with an unfinished house in Lysnyky,
- a Toyota RAV4 vehicle,
- and a 125-square-meter apartment in the Faina Town complex.
- Since 2021, Kropyva’s father, Vasyl, has registered multiple sole proprietorships. In 2023, he became co-owner of a grain wholesale company, and in 2024 he purchased an apartment in the UNIT.Home complex. Further, in 2025, he acquired a 500-square-meter building in Boyarka that houses a fitness center.
- Kropyva’s wife, Iryna, bought a Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class in 2023, reportedly valued at over $130,000.
Additionally, 24-year-old Yelyzaveta Ivakhenko, also implicated in the case, purchased a 150-square-meter commercial space in Kyiv’s Pechersk district in 2025, valued at more than $160,000, as well as a Mercedes-Benz EQE 350. Investigators believe Kropyva used proxy owners to register real estate at the luxury Glacier hotel in Ivano-Frankivsk region.
“The Carthage scheme was orchestrated with full backing from Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko,” stated Mykola Karas, a prosecutor from the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office.
Kravchenko has denied any involvement in the scandal. Searches have also been conducted at the premises of Oleh Kiper, head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration. According to the investigators, since mid-2025, Kropyva assembled a group that included prosecution officials and other individuals known under aliases such as “Muza,” “Kamrat,” and “Flesh.”
This case has sparked significant public attention due to its connection with high-ranking officials who wield influence over state resources and the enforcement of law in Ukraine. It underscores the critical importance of transparency and accountability among government servants, especially within the country’s ongoing anti-corruption efforts. The investigation highlights the vital role anti-corruption bodies play in uncovering and prosecuting those who exploit their positions for personal gain.
In light of the ongoing investigation, it's worth noting that Prosecutor General Kravchenko has publicly addressed the recent searches related to the 'Carthage' case, firmly denying any personal involvement. His statements may shed further light on the broader implications of this high-profile case and the systemic issues within the Prosecutor General's Office. For more details, see how Kravchenko responded to these developments in a recent news update.
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