Key facts
- Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko stated he will not resign unless President Zelensky asks.
- The scandal involves alleged protection of scam call centers laundering millions of hryvnias.
- NABU detained Serhii Kropyva, a deputy head in the Prosecutor General's office, in connection with the scheme.
- Searches were conducted in Kravchenko's office as part of the investigation.
- Investigators believe "boss" in recordings refers to Kravchenko, who previously led the State Tax Service.
Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko stated on September 7 that he has no intention of resigning amid a major scandal, indicating he would only step down if requested by President Volodymyr Zelensky, his colleagues, or parliament. The scandal centers on allegations of a criminal organization operating protection rackets for scam call centers, which investigators claim laundered millions of hryvnias. Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) uncovered the alleged scheme on September 4.
Kravchenko asserted that he is not clinging to his position and that the team comes first. The investigation has led to the detention of Serhii Kropyva, the deputy head of the Prosecutor General's office's international cooperation department, who is suspected of laundering assets exceeding 89 million hryvnias (approximately $2 million). A High Anti-Corruption Court ordered Kropyva's custody until November 2 and set his bail at 120 million hryvnias ($2.7 million). Kropyva has been suspended from his duties.
Searches were conducted within Kravchenko's office as part of the probe. Investigators allege that an official, identified as the "boss" in recordings and possessing the patronymic "Andriiovych," created the group in mid-2025. This individual allegedly recruited current prosecutors and external associates to facilitate the operation of scam call centers targeting both Ukrainian citizens and foreigners in exchange for systematic bribes. Kravchenko previously served as head of Ukraine's State Tax Service from December 2024 to June 2025, and the Prosecutor General's Office has confirmed that investigators understand the term "boss" in the recordings to refer to Kravchenko.