The U.S. Department of State categorizes Ukraine as a major money laundering jurisdiction. Rampant corruption, fraud, trafficking in drugs, arms, and persons, organized crime, prostitution, cybercrime and tax evasion serve as the means for producing illicit funds. Money Launderers often use cash and the informal economy to transfer funds and help further organized crime syndicates. Criminals additionally use other methodologies, including real estate, insurance, financial institutions and shell companies. Schemes using financial instruments, including liquid and illiquid securities, lending and deposit transactions, debentures and fictitious contracts are also common. According to the State Department, the British Virgin Islands, Cyprus and other offshore tax havens are often used to obscure ownership, evade taxes or mask illicit profits. Also, Ukraine’s ineffective state institutions and criminal justice system allow financial criminals to thrive and proceed undetected. Ukraine's convictions involving financial crimes increased in 2018 including two cases of money laundering under its criminal code. From Jan. to Sept. 2018, Ukraine obtained 17 convictions under its anti-money laundering statute but all 17 are under appeal. Ukraine additionally filed cases relating to 105 other financial crimes incidents but no additional data is available.

Source: 2019 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR)

Rankings

Ukraine's technical compliance was re-rated in a Sept. 6, 2019 follow-up report

Rank : 37/125

Score : 6.01/10

Rank : 126/180

Score : 30/100

Rank : 70/133

Score : 65/100

Ukraine