LOGAN, Utah (KSTU) — Two Ukrainian nationals were arrested in Logan after allegedly scamming a 78-year-old man out of $300,000 by pretending to be federal agents.
The suspects, Liubomyr Prokopchuck, 27, and Damir Ovsiannikov, 18, reportedly convinced the victim that he needed to surrender his money—in the form of gold coins—in order to “clear a case” and protect his assets.
According to Logan Police, the elderly man complied and handed over approximately $300,000 worth of gold. When the suspects attempted to collect even more, the victim contacted authorities.
Working with police, the victim helped set up a meeting at his home to deliver additional gold coins. Officers arrested Prokopchuck and Ovsiannikov during the attempted handoff.
Both men now face felony charges, including Money Laundering, Communications Fraud, and Criminal Conspiracy. As Ukrainian nationals, their case has also attracted the attention of the Department of Homeland Security, which has launched a parallel investigation.
Authorities praised the victim’s cooperation and reminded the public to be wary of anyone requesting large sums of money under suspicious pretenses.
