A foiled heist in the heart of Lima has exposed the operations of a foreign-led gang allegedly orchestrated by Vitaliy Zinchenko, a 42-year-old Ukrainian national with a criminal past in Peru. Far from the image of a cosmopolitan tourist, Zinchenko was no stranger to the country—or to its criminal underworld.

According to Panorama and Expreso, Zinchenko entered Peru in 2012 from Kyiv, presenting himself as a multilingual businessman with plans to open a casino. Fluent in English, French, Spanish and Ukrainian, he blended easily into the local scene, working sporadically as a translator. However, in 2013 he was caught trafficking drugs, having ingested capsules of cocaine, and served five years in Lima’s Castro Castro prison.

It was there he reportedly built ties with several hardened criminals, contacts he would later rely on for a more ambitious scheme. Police say that in April 2025, Zinchenko masterminded an attempted robbery targeting a currency exchange house in Lima’s historic centre. The plan was methodically executed. Fifteen days prior to the attempted robbery, Zinchenko rented a flat directly across from the target. From this vantage point, the gang surveilled daily operations, identifying weaknesses in the building’s security.

On the night of April 30, the group, equipped with gas torches and welding tools, attempted to breach the premises. Zinchenko, acting as the lookout, coordinated their movements from outside. The others, whom he had allegedly smuggled into the building earlier, began cutting into the safe while using a sheet to block their activity from public view.

The operation, however, quickly unravelled. A loud vehicle passing by startled the group and drew the attention of residents, who alerted the police. Officers arrived moments later. Surveillance footage published by Panorama captured Zinchenko in dark clothing and a mask, using a tenant’s key to open the gate. Inside, chaos erupted. One accomplice, Richard Serda, fell through a skylight and died on impact. Another, Javier Flores, suffered severe injuries while attempting to flee. A third, Brian Benítez, later turned himself in. Backpacks containing large sums of money were abandoned during the escape.

Zinchenko was swiftly apprehended without resistance, carrying a firearm. In an initial interview with police, he admitted to previously serving time for drug trafficking and said he had been contacted by former inmates to scout the location. “I was only filming,” he claimed, though footage and police analysis suggest he played a central role in coordinating the operation.

Authorities have confirmed that all members of the group had prior convictions. Zinchenko now faces new charges for aggravated robbery and unlawful possession of a weapon. The Public Prosecutor’s Office is pursuing pre-trial detention.