Money Laundering Gang Exploiting Russia-Ukraine War Jailed for 13 Years
Gang Laundered Over £6 Million Through War-Torn Ukraine
Two crooks who exploited the Russia-Ukraine conflict to launder more than £6 million have been locked up for a total of 13 years. The Metropolitan Police’s economic crime team uncovered a slick operation where the gang bought UK vehicles and sold them to Ukraine, before turning the profits into cryptocurrency to cover their tracks.
Key Players Sent Down
Valeriy Popovych, 52, from Sunbury-on-Thames, and Vitaliy Lutsak, 43, from Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, each received six years and six months behind bars at Wood Green Crown Court on April 7, 2025. Their co-conspirator, Oksana Popovych, 42, also from Sunbury-on-Thames, faces sentencing on May 30, 2025.
The trio were convicted of transferring criminal property and running an unregistered money service business after a five-week trial. They capitalised on genuine demand for vehicles in Ukraine amid the brutal ongoing conflict, using crypto’s weak regulation to funnel millions.
How The Scam Worked
- Valeriy Popovych ran an export company, Sprint Commercial Ltd, claiming to sell vans and lorries to Ukraine.
- Vitaliy Lutsak coordinated money collection, sending the Popovychs to pick up cash from UK customers.
- Officers seized over $14 million in cryptocurrency from Lutsak’s computer during the probe.
A chunk of the dirty cash was linked to Russian national Semen Kuksov, already serving over five years for money laundering under the NCA’s Operation Destabilise.
The Investigation Unveiled
The gang’s downfall came when Valeriy Popovych was caught in Twickenham on June 28, 2023, with £60,000 in cash. A search of his Feltham home uncovered another £130,000. Further digs connected Oksana Popovych and Vitaliy Lutsak, who were arrested in May 2024.
Crucial evidence included chat logs, money transfers, CCTV footage, crypto wallets – and an Excel spreadsheet named ‘V Enf Acc’ showing over £6 million laundered from August 2022 to June 2023.
The Met’s economic crime unit worked closely with the NCA, HMRC, and the Financial Conduct Authority to bring the gang down.
Official Reactions
“This was a thorough and complex investigation into an organised crime gang operating internationally,” said Detective Constable Harry Davies, lead investigator. “Mr Popovych presented himself as a hardworking tradesman while callously exploiting the Ukraine conflict for profit. These sentences show our commitment to tackling organised crime.”
Negeen Momtahen, Specialist Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, added: “These defendants used an export business as a front to launder millions. Money laundering isn’t victimless; it fuels criminal enterprises. We’ll pursue confiscation proceedings to strip them of illicit gains.”
Community Impact & What’s Next
The gang’s dirty dealings didn’t just exploit a humanitarian crisis but threatened UK financial security. The Metropolitan Police vow to keep cracking down on criminals using global conflicts for profit. Confiscation hearings are underway to recover the spoils of this multi-million-pound racket.
This case highlights the vital role of international cooperation in fighting economic crime linked to organised criminals.
