LOGAN — Law enforcement have arrested two Ukrainian nationals accused of stealing more than $300.000 from a 78-year-old Logan man. Liubomyr Prokopchuck, 27, and Damir Ovsiannikov, 18, were booked into the Cache County Jail following a sting operation.
Logan City Police Capt. Shand Nazer said officers began investigating after the alleged victim called 911, reporting he had been scammed. He reported an individual claiming to be a Federal Agent had contacted him, telling him that in order to clear a case and also to protect his money, he needed to provide funds in the form of gold coins to a courier.
Police report, the man had already lost approximately $300,000, and the individual was now trying to get more money from him.
Nazer said detectives worked with the elderly man and were able to devise a plan to arrest the couriers when they came to pick up the gold coins from his Logan residence. During the operation, police arrested the two suspects without incident.
According to jail records, Prokopchuck and Ovsiannikov were booked on suspicion of committing money laundering, communications fraud and criminal conspiracy, all felonies. They are being held without bail, pending arraignment in Logan’s 1st District Court.
Nazer said the police department is working with officials from the US Department of Homeland Security and Homeland Security Investigations on the case.
Individuals arrested and charged in complaints are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.