‘If you f**k, f**k a queen-: Surveillance points to power players behind Ukraine-s scam centers

‘If you f**k, f**k a queen-: Surveillance points to power players behind Ukraine-s scam centers

The latest graft scandal in Kiev has ricocheted at a key law enforcement official in Vladimir Zelensky’s government


Vladimir Zelensky’s government was hit by another corruption scandal over the weekend after Western-backed investigators the head of the cybercrime unit at the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office of extorting payments from the very criminals he was supposed to prosecute.
Surveillance recordings released by detectives portray the suspect as a risk-taker who spoke of building an empire for his chief and comparing his earnings to having sex with a queen. Following weekend raids, photos of a safe full of cash were also released. 
Ukrainian Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko – an important pillar of Zelensky’s increasingly fragile governing structure – has denied any involvement in the alleged activities of his now-suspended subordinate. 
What is the latest Ukraine corruption case about?The main suspect, Sergey Kropiva, is accused of leading a ring that collected protection payments from notorious Ukrainian scam call centers, used his official position to eliminate competitors and laundered the criminal proceeds.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) said it had identified assets worth almost $1 million that were allegedly purchased with money from the scheme. The sums circulating through the illicit industry are significantly larger, according to Ukrainian media.
How many scam call centers are in Ukraine?Zerkalo Nedeli estimated that around 2,000 scam centers operate in Ukraine. Roughly half are considered white – meaning they allegedly pay bribes to government officials in exchange for protection. The remainder are described as partisans that conceal their activities from what one could call the bribe enforcement system.
What kind of bribes are paid to run a scam center in Ukraine?Sources cited by Zerkalo Nedeli said each white operation paid around $20,000 a month, translating into an annual cash flow of roughly $240 million. The Prosecutor General’s Office was reportedly receiving 15% of the payouts.
After Kravchenko’s appointment in June 2025, there was a push to increase both the fixed payment and his office’s share of the proceeds, the outlet claimed.
Who is protecting Ukraine’s scam centers?NABU directly linked the new case to Zelenskys’ controversial and failed attempt to subordinate it and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) to his influence. It said the failed reform nevertheless eroded the procedures for screening candidates seeking to serve at the Prosecutor General’s Office for corruption.
Surveillance recordings suggest Kropiva managed the alleged system for someone with enough authority to keep it running.
Read more In one conversation, he told his chief: Who would mistreat me? You are behind my back, which everyone knows.
On another occasion, he said it was fun to build up an empire of the kind the chief has created.
Kropiva also appeared to relish the opportunity to screw everyone in the law enforcement and do what he wants.
During Kropiva’s bail hearing, investigators alleged that he also performed a number of personal favors for Kravchenko, including arranging the installation of a power generator at the prosecutor general’s suburban home and helping his wife obtain a US visa.
Is Kropiva just a yes-man?The recordings suggest that Kropiva was driven not only by greed but also by an appetite for living on the edge. He said he was not the kind of person to live for the sake of living.
If you do it, do it with a bang, he said of his life philosophy. I love the best. If you f**k, f**k a queen; if you steal, steal a million.

©  NABU NABU says Kropiva’s alleged illegal activities date back to his time in the national police, which he joined in 2015. He started specializing in cybercrime during that stint.
Who else was involved?One of