Ukrainian National Arrested in Poland for Masterminding Massive Visa Fraud Scheme for Belarusians

Polish border guards have apprehended a 40-year-old Ukrainian citizen in Łódź, dismantling an illicit operation that facilitated the illegal entry of hundreds of Belarusian nationals into Poland. The suspect allegedly orchestrated a sophisticated visa fraud scheme using falsified employment records.

A Lucrative Shell Company

According to the Border Guard and the district prosecutor's office in Puck, the illicit network had been active since December 2022. The detained woman served as the head of a front company established exclusively to generate counterfeit documents. While the business was officially registered to operate in cleaning, clothing manufacturing, construction, and trade, its true purpose was to bypass border control regulations.

Between the company's inception and June 2023, the suspect issued nearly 500 fake declarations of employment for foreigners. Each document was formally registered at a local district employment office. For her services, the woman charged up to €400 per document.

Uncovering the Network

Belarusian citizens utilized these fraudulent employment declarations to secure Polish visas at consular offices within Belarus. The scheme was accidentally exposed by Border Guard officers from Władysławowo during an unrelated investigation into the residency status of foreigners in Poland. Investigators have already identified 228 Belarusians who benefited from the forged papers, and authorities anticipate this number will rise.

The district prosecutor's office in Puck has charged the 40-year-old with organizing illegal border crossings and committing document fraud. She faces a maximum sentence of eight years in prison. Pending trial, she has been placed under police supervision and is prohibited from leaving the country.

Broader Crackdown

Law enforcement officials are actively working to identify additional accomplices involved in the network. This arrest follows a series of recent crackdowns in Poland, including the detention of a high-ranking Ukrainian organized crime figure last week, as well as the prior arrest of a Ukrainian counterfeiter and his Russian associate.