The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), in coordination with the Prosecutor’s Office, has dismantled a large-scale underground network producing and distributing counterfeit weight-loss medication known as Biopatid. According to investigators, the organizers imported raw materials from China under the guise of dietary supplements before manufacturing the illicit product in an underground facility. As part of the ongoing investigation, law enforcement officers executed more than 250 search warrants across the country and issued formal notices of suspicion to 27 members of the criminal group.
The organizers built a lucrative business model exploiting consumer demand for weight-loss supplements. The cost of raw components for a single pack of the counterfeit drug was roughly $17. However, the finished product was sold to end consumers at exorbitant prices, reaching up to $1,200 per package.
Distribution was handled through a firm named Summit Astro Group. Investigators identified Volodymyr Viter as the sole owner and director of the company. Viter also holds ownership or leadership roles in several other entities, including Ukrainian Building Projects Holding, Terra Logistics, Grandis Prime, and Spetsproekt-Invest.
Notably, this is not the first high-profile investigation involving entities linked to the businessman. Ukrainian Building Projects Holding is already named in separate criminal proceedings involving tax evasion and the alleged embezzlement of public funds during the renovation of Natalka Park in Kyiv.
To drive high sales volumes and build false credibility with consumers, the organizers launched an extensive promotional campaign. The illicit weight-loss drug Biopatid was heavily advertised by prominent Ukrainian television personalities, actors, and social media influencers.
Public figures who participated in the promotion of the product include:
Chef and MasterChef host Héctor Jiménez-Bravo
Actress Olena Svitlytska
Social media influencers Maryna Aleksandrova («Skazhena»), Mila Kuznetsova, Anastasiya Arbuzova, and Oksana Andriyets
To further project an image of safety and efficacy, the counterfeit medication was publicly recommended by medical professionals, including doctors Kseniya Dzigovska, Oksana Tsivina, and Yuliya Leontyeva. Law enforcement authorities are continuing investigative actions to establish all circumstances surrounding the illegal operation and bring all responsible parties to justice.