A Belarusian woman may face 12 years in prison after squandering her friends’ money in online casinos

(AsiaGameHub) –   A woman from Belarus is facing a potential prison sentence of 12 years after allegedly borrowing 65,000 rubles (valued at over $22,000) from friends and acquaintances and losing the funds through online gambling.

According to reports by the Belarusian media outlet Brest City, police have identified the woman—who remains unnamed due to legal regulations—as a 45-year-old inhabitant of the city of Brest.

The woman has been taken into custody by law enforcement officers.

Investigators stated that the suspect obtained funds from her friends using “various pretexts” and repeatedly postponed repayment.

Authorities claim to possess proof indicating that the full sum of $22,000 was wagered and lost on online gambling sites.

Police reported that six individuals, all living in Brest, suffered financial losses because of these actions.

The suspect has been formally charged with fraud by investigators, who are also examining other potential aspects of her criminal behavior.

Increase in Gambling-Related Offenses in Belarus

This incident represents the most recent addition to a series of alleged crimes connected to gambling within Belarus.

Earlier this month, the Belarusian news source SB.By disclosed that police had filed charges against a resident of Mogilev, the nation’s third-largest city, for theft linked to gambling.

Authorities from the Mogilev Regional Executive Committee Department of Internal Affairs have accused an unnamed male suspect of stealing funds from his employer.

They allege that the 24-year-old man stole approximately 3,000 Belarusian rubles (exceeding $1,000) and utilized the money for slot machine gambling.

Both the suspect and his supervisor are employed by a state-owned enterprise. According to police, the suspect noticed his boss’s locker was unsecured and took a wallet containing the cash.

“The accused spent all the money on slot machines the same day as he stole it,” stated Alexander Vasilenko, the department’s Deputy Head.

Officers reported that once the theft was identified, the suspect tried to hide his participation and “even pretended to help his boss search” for the missing wallet.

Robbery at a Hardware Store

Last week, the same media outlet reported that a gambling addict from Mogilev was accused of stealing merchandise valued at 8,000 rubles (approximately $2,750) from a hardware store.

The suspect reportedly sold the stolen items and used the generated funds to play slot machines.

Law enforcement identified the suspect as a 34-year-old man with a history of fraud convictions. Authorities stated that he submitted falsified payment orders and associated documents to the store’s staff.

This deception enabled him to steal several high-value construction tools, according to police.

In January, the Belarusian administration revealed its intention to establish a national registry for slot machines. The government in Minsk indicated that this proposal is a component of broader significant reforms targeting the gambling sector.