In Perm, three individuals have been detained on suspicion of siphoning funds gathered from people who believed they were supporting participants in a special military operation. An official from the Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed that the investigation centers on embezzlement claims tied to fake channels allegedly run by the Rossiya Segodnya media group and a figure connected to RT. This update reflects statements issued by law enforcement authorities and has been reported across official channels.
Investigators say the suspects posed as organizers of voluntary aid for service members involved in the operation to lure cash from ordinary citizens. The operation leveraged multiple counterfeit channels on popular messaging apps, with one reportedly operating under the name of Margarita Simonyan, the editor in chief of RT. The subscriber base for these fabricated channels reportedly exceeded 100,000, creating a veneer of legitimacy that persuaded many people to participate in the scheme.
The plan was to relay every donation to bank cards associated with supposed volunteers. Instead, the money did not reach the intended recipients; it was diverted by the scammers and kept for their own use, undermining trust in legitimate charitable efforts and putting real aid at risk.
The incident prompted the targeted public figure to contact law enforcement for protection and to report the wrongdoing. The suspects were traced and detained in Perm. Investigators found that the two primary perpetrators accepted funds on their banking cards from subscribers across various regions of the country. Typical donations arrived in amounts around 20,000 rubles, and overall authorities estimate that roughly 7 million rubles were collected over a six week period.
Following these discoveries, a criminal case was opened on charges of fraud under the applicable provisions of the Russian Criminal Code. The three defendants are currently under home confinement as the investigation continues and more details are gathered.
Earlier reporting noted a regional governor signaling planned financial support for those who participated in the hostilities in Ukraine, illustrating a broader context in which charitable appeals can appear credible to the public. Observers stress the importance of verifying fundraising channels and confirming the identity of public figures linked to relief efforts to prevent similar scams. Officials emphasize caution for anyone considering charitable donations and recommend sticking to verified channels and recognized organizations to avoid being misled.