Fraudsters stole 23M rubles from Russian troops in fake marriage scam
Krasnoyarsk Fraud Probe Concludes: Organized Group Stole Over 23 Million Rubles from Soldiers and Their Families
A criminal investigation has been completed in Krasnoyarsk into an organized group accused of defrauding military personnel and their relatives out of more than 23 million rubles between February and June of last year.
Four Krasnoyarsk residents will stand trial: the 38-year-old ringleader, who has a prior conviction, along with three of his acquaintances—a 46-year-old married couple and a 30-year-old woman.
According to police, the ringleader targeted isolated individuals leading antisocial lifestyles, persuading them to sign military service contracts. Before their deployment to the combat zone, he coerced his victims into entering sham marriages with women involved in the criminal scheme. In one case, a woman was convinced to participate in the fake marriage by her own partner, who was also part of the operation.
The ringleader then linked the victims' bank accounts to his own SIM cards via a mobile banking app, giving the fraudsters full control over all incoming payments—including one-time bonuses and monthly salaries due under the military contracts.
The group successfully stole 23.3 million rubles from six servicemen and three organizations. In January of this year, a court ruled in favor of one soldier's daughter, declaring her father's marriage a sham and annulling it.
Investigators also found that in January 2024, an acquaintance of the ringleader—who had verbally agreed to lend him his Audi after signing a military contract—became another victim. Taking advantage of the man's absence, the suspect forged a fake sales agreement in his name, used the car as collateral, and spent the proceeds on personal expenses.
The ringleader now faces charges of using forged documents and fraud, while the other three defendants are charged with fraud. All cases have been consolidated into a single proceeding.
The investigation is now complete. Three of the defendants have been placed under house arrest, while the fourth has been released on a travel restriction and a pledge of good conduct.
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