How ‘Black Notaries’ Seize Farms Through Fraudulent Schemes

Ukrainian farms are increasingly becoming victims of sophisticated fraudulent schemes that allow for the rapid transfer of business ownership without the knowledge of the actual owners.

This is reported by AgroReview

While farmers are busy with seasonal work, so-called “black notaries” exploit their access to registries to transfer entire farms to front persons. Recently, these cases have escalated into a widespread problem that threatens the right to private property in agriculture.

Features of Raiding Schemes in Agriculture

Criminal activities are based on manipulations with the Unified State Register of Enterprises. “Black registrars” with legal access to the system and keys make changes based on forged protocols of general meetings and fictitious powers of attorney, completely altering the composition of the company’s founders.

Raiding attacks are often accompanied by a rapid change of legal address and management. To complicate the tracking of these frauds, perpetrators forge the signatures of shareholders and upload fake lease agreements to the registry. Paperwork for such “specialists” becomes a more effective tool than actual ownership rights and the hard work of farmers.

The most dangerous stage of the scheme is the creation of a subleasing chain. After fraudulently obtaining land rights, a competing company transfers it to the next tenant, establishing the status of a “bona fide tenant.” This complicates proving the illegality of the initial transfer in court and returning the property to the rightful owner.

Legal Difficulties and Consequences for Farmers

Such registration seizures lead to catastrophic consequences: farmers often learn about the loss of their farms only after the raiding attack has concluded. Legal challenges and attempts to restore justice are prolonged, while the fraudsters manage to use the land and harvest crops, depriving the legitimate owners of profits and leaving them entangled in legal disputes.

Experts emphasize that even a month’s delay can be fatal, as during this time assets can be transferred or resold multiple times. The irony is that legal protection mechanisms operate significantly slower than the criminal algorithms of seizure.

Often, unscrupulous private executors are involved in raiding schemes, helping to solidify the illegal state of affairs. Any delay in response significantly complicates the return of assets to the owner, as during this time the property changes hands several times.

How to Protect Yourself from Raiding: Expert Tips

• Connect monitoring services for registration actions, such as SMS-Monitor, for instant notification of any changes in the registry.
• Include in the company’s charter a requirement for mandatory notarization of the signatures of all participants when making decisions regarding changes in management or the composition of founders.
• If illegal actions are detected, immediately contact the Office for Counteracting Raiding at the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine.