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Cunning
fraudsters have conned the Ukraine Central Bank branch in Odessa into buying US$300,000
worth of gold which turned out to be lead daubed with gold paint, RT.com reports.
“A
criminal case has been opened and we are now carrying out an investigation to
identify those involved in the crime,” a spokesman for the
Odessa police force is quoted by Vesti.
The
news was first reported by Odessa’s State Ministry of Internal Affairs.
A
preliminary investigation suggests the gang had someone working for them inside
the bank that forged the necessary paperwork to allow the sale of the fake gold
bullion. It’s also been discovered that bank staff were not regularly checked
when entering or exiting the premises.
Since
the discovery, the National Bank no longer buys precious metal over the
counter, as it cannot be sure of its authenticity, says the First Deputy Head
of the National Bank of Ukraine, Aleksandr Pisaruk.
The
National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) has confirmed the theft of several kilograms of
gold in the Odessa region. The cashier involved has apparently fled to Crimea,
Vesti Ukraine reports. Criminal proceedings began on November 18, even though
the scam apparently took place between August and October.
In
November, the Central Bank reportedly lost US$12.6 billion in gold reserves,
putting the total stockpile at just over US$120 million.
However, the Central Bank reports that foreign currency and gold
reserves stood at US$9.97 billion at the end of November.
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