Plzeň: dozens of Ukrainians investigated for benefit fraud in Czechia

Dozens of cases of humanitarian benefit fraud are being investigated in Plzeň: according to the state prosecutor's office, 63 criminal cases had been opened as of September. In 28 cases the police have already charged suspects with fraud, and the court has found 25 of them guilty.

“As of September we have 63 cases in which criminal proceedings have been initiated. In 28 cases the police have already notified a suspicion of fraud; in 27 of these a motion for punishment has been filed with the court, and the court has found 25 suspects guilty. They have generally received suspended sentences with an obligation to compensate the damage,” the prosecutor's document says.

Damage runs into millions

The total damage amounts to millions of crowns. In individual cases the state unjustifiably paid out benefits worth tens and hundreds of thousands of crowns, prosecutors said.

According to police findings, in most cases the offenders permanently live in Ukraine and come to Czechia solely to extend their temporary protection or to attend a mandatory check-in at the labour office.

The harshest sentence was handed down in Brno

So far the toughest punishment for abusing humanitarian benefits was imposed last year in Brno: the court sent a Ukrainian couple to prison for four years. The spouses fraudulently obtained 11 million crowns in benefits from the Czech state for compatriots whom they passed off as war refugees.

Read also: Extending temporary protection in Czechia for Ukrainians

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz