On September 27, in the Lutsk City and District Court of the Volyn Region, under the chairmanship of Judge Valeriy Opeyda, a hearing began in a criminal case concerning the facts of seizing real estate using fraudulent methods and violence. 13 accused, 9 victims, more than 80 witnesses – a case of such scope is the fifth in Ukraine and the first in Volyn, – reported the own correspondent of the Western Information Corporation.
An organized international group of criminals "operated" from 2002 to 2005. Mostly their victims were solitary, ailing, retirement-age people prone to alcohol. The criminals gained their trust, lured the person in various ways to one of the houses in the Kivertsy district, forcibly compelled them to sign documents for the sale of apartments in Lutsk, holding the victim under arrest. Several of the victims managed to escape from the "prison" and turn to the police.
Among the accused is a former prosecutor's office employee. One of the apartments was fraudulently resold to the fund of the Lutsk City Council.
It is predicted that several additional episodes may be added to this case.