Foreigners detained in Odessa region for selling fake $100 bills for only a third of their value

In the Odessa region, law enforcement officers uncovered a scheme to sell counterfeit foreign currency, led by two foreigners living in Odessa who organized the importation of counterfeit dollars from abroad.

According to law enforcement officers, the suspects established a delivery channel for counterfeit $100 bills. Operatives of the Odessa region’s Strategic Investigations Department, together with detectives from the Territorial Administration of the Bureau of Economic Security, documented several cases of illegal sales of this currency.

The criminals sold counterfeit banknotes at a significantly reduced price – just 30% of their real face value, which made them attractive to potential buyers.

In February 2025, law enforcement officers conducted a special operation during which the suspects were detained while selling a batch of counterfeit money worth $10,000. Experts found that the seized banknotes are high-quality counterfeits that are almost indistinguishable from genuine banknotes.

Research has shown that technologies that imitate the security features of real banknotes, as well as special printing methods, were used to produce the counterfeit banknotes.

Under the procedural guidance of the Odesa Regional Prosecutor’s Office, the detainees were informed of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 199 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which provides for liability for the production and sale of counterfeit money, with a possible penalty of up to 10 years in prison with confiscation of property.

The court chose a preventive measure for the suspects in the form of detention, but they were also offered the option of posting bail in the amounts of UAH 1.7 million and UAH 2.6 million, respectively. The pre-trial investigation of the case is ongoing.