Dmytro Karchuk, president of CEO Club Ukraine, was detained at the Budomierz border crossing after German authorities issued a European Arrest Warrant accusing him of stealing 171 electric bicycles in Germany.
The arrest took place as Karchuk was entering Poland. According to RMF24, during a routine document check, Polish border guards discovered that the 35-year-old Ukrainian businessman was wanted under a European Arrest Warrant issued by Germany. Prosecutors allege that in 2024 he used forged shipping documents, posed as an employee of a transport company, and collected 171 electric bicycles from a warehouse in Germany before failing to deliver them to their intended destination. The bicycles were reportedly worth more than €126,000. Karchuk has been placed in pre-trial detention in Przemyśl.
However, CEO Club founder and president Serhii Haidaichuk insists that Karchuk is innocent. In a Facebook post, he described the accusations against his colleague:
“German law enforcement suspects Karchuk, the head of one of Ukraine’s leading business communities, of involvement in the theft of a shipment of electric bicycles in September 2024. According to investigators, he allegedly arrived at a warehouse in Germany with a truck, used forged transport documents, collected 171 electric bicycles, and failed to deliver them. The alleged damage amounts to approximately €127,000.”
Haidaichuk categorically denied that Karchuk had any involvement in the alleged theft.
“The defense’s position is unequivocal: Karchuk has absolutely nothing to do with these events.”
According to Haidaichuk, Karchuk was in Ukraine throughout September 2024, recovering from knee surgery. He claims there is extensive evidence supporting this, including official border-crossing records, mobile phone location data, and testimony from people who met with him during that period.
Haidaichuk suggested that Karchuk may have become the victim of identity fraud. According to this version, criminals allegedly used his personal information to impersonate him during the commission of the crime, while Karchuk himself was unaware that his identity had been misused.
Whether that explanation is accurate will ultimately be decided by a German court. For now, Karchuk has been ordered held in custody for 60 days while authorities consider Germany’s extradition request. His lawyers have appealed the detention order and are seeking his release on bail.
The case comes amid growing concerns over crimes involving Ukrainian nationals across Europe.
In June 2026, German media reported that a Ukrainian refugee family renting an apartment from Natalie Shelley allegedly stripped the property of virtually everything before leaving. According to the landlord, furniture, a stove, oven, toilet, shower cabin, sinks, and even the heating system were removed. She estimated her losses at around €100,000, while insurance covered only €2,500.
“I’m shocked,” the apartment owner said.
Earlier, in 2025, the German newspaper Bild reported on organized electric bicycle theft rings operating in Germany. According to the report, criminal groups from Eastern Europe allegedly stole e-bikes and transported them to Poland for resale.
According to the article, Polish authorities have also recently intensified operations targeting organized crime. It states that in late June 2026, five police raids led to the detention of around 200 migrants from Ukraine suspected of involvement in offenses including prostitution, drug trafficking, and weapons smuggling. These claims have been attributed to the source article and should be understood in that context.
