Features for interrogation of members of organized criminal groups suspected of committing frauds

It is determined that fraud ranked second among property crimes in 2019–2024. There was a decline in the registration of such offenses in 2020-2021, but during 2022-2024 their number returned to the level of 2019. Over 50% of registered cases were classified as crimes. An analysis of scientific approaches and provisions of criminal procedural legislation on determining the essence of interrogation was carried out. It was found that during the investigation of frauds committed by organized criminal associations, its participants are most often interrogated as suspects. The circumstances that form the subject for interrogation of participants in organized criminal associations suspected of committing frauds were identified. It was established that the stage of preparation for the interrogation of participants in organized criminal associations suspected of committing frauds consists of: a complete, comprehensive and objective study of the materials of the criminal proceedings; determining the subject of interrogation; determining the order of interrogation for participants in organized criminal associations suspected of committing frauds; collecting information about each of the participants in organized criminal associations, their leaders and the fraudulent actions committed by them; determining the time, place and form of interrogation; organizing technical and forensic support for interrogation; planning the interrogation, etc. The features of the working stage for interrogation of participants in organized criminal associations suspected of committing frauds have been clarified, depending on the procedural status of the interrogated persons, their position in the criminal proceedings, the level of their awareness of the methods of committing fraudulent acts and other circumstances that are important for the criminal proceedings. Recommendations regarding the final stage of interrogation of participants in organized criminal associations suspected of committing frauds have been provided. It was concluded that even within the framework of one criminal group, which specializes in fraud, the positions of accomplices differ: some admit their guilt in full, some partially, and some deny it. Attention has been drawn to the need to use video recording of absolutely all interrogations of participants in organized criminal associations in addition to drawing up an interrogation protocol.