Over UAH 90 million worth of damage has already been reimbursed in the Elita-Center housing fraud case, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry's press service has reported.

"Over UAH 384 million worth of damage was caused to nearly 1,700 housing fraud victims because of the actions of members of a criminal group. At the same time, over UAH 90 million worth of damage has already been reimbursed in the case," press service said.

"An indictment against the members of a criminal group was recently sent to court," the ministry said.

The report also said the main investigation department of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry has completed a further investigation into criminal proceedings against the organizer and a direct participant of the Elita-Center housing scam.

The defendants were charged with abuse of office, money laundering and forgery.

In late December 2012, the indictment against the criminals was sent to court.

As reported, a massive scam was uncovered on the real estate market in Kyiv in early 2006. Some 1,759 people were defrauded by the Elita-Center Group, whose representatives took money from the public as payment for housing that was not built. The total sum stolen from the victims was estimated at about UAH 400 million.

On November 1, 2007, Oleksandr Volkonsky (Shakhov), who was suspected of organizing the fraud, was detained in Switzerland. On October 9, 2008, he was extradited to Ukraine.

On September 8, 2009, he was officially accused of being the organizer of the Elita-Center fraud.