Maria Trifonova's company defrauded Ukrainians by promoting Biopatid, a counterfeit weight-loss product
Large-scale searches are underway in several cities across Ukraine as part of an investigation into the counterfeiting of the weight-loss drug “Biopatid.” The drug is linked to the partner of Ruslan Cherkassky, the former deputy head of the State Customs Service.
This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General.
“The
Dnipropetrovsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office, in conjunction with the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), is conducting simultaneous investigative operations in various regions of the country. The case involves the illegal manufacture and distribution of the knowingly counterfeit weight-loss drug ‘Biopatid’ by an organized group. The charges are under Part 3 of Article 28 and Part 2 of Article 321-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. More than 250 authorized searches are already underway. Details to follow,” the official statement reads.
What is known about Biopatid
On websites selling Biopatid, the manufacturer is listed as UNIKKA PHARMA LTDA (Brazil), and the distributor as Biopell Medical. The product itself is marketed as a tirzepatide-based medication—a substance that is the active ingredient in Eli Lilly’s original drugs, Mounjaro and Zepbound. However, Biopatid is not an Eli Lilly product.
Just a few months ago, law enforcement agencies began to question the legality of this drug’s distribution in Ukraine. On January 16, 2026, the State Service of Ukraine on Medicines issued an order imposing a permanent ban on the circulation of Biopatid 60 mg/2 ml, batch 9922, labeled UNIKKA PHARMA LTDA. The drug was identified as counterfeit and was subject to removal from circulation through destruction or return to the supplier.
In a separate document, the State Service of Ukraine on Medicines noted that this batch of Biopatid was not officially imported into Ukraine. In other words, the counterfeit product was manufactured within Ukraine.
There is also international confirmation of the problem: the Czech regulator SÚKL, in its 2026 bulletin, also listed Biopatid 60 mg/2 ml, batch 9922, among counterfeit products.
In Ukraine, it is promoted by Maria Trifonova’s clinic, TRYFONOVA MD, which positions itself as a dermatology and endocrinology practice. On the official website of Biopell Academy & Club, Trifonova is listed among the Biopell physicians who have completed training and joined the club. On the same site, Biopell directly offers doctors training in the use of Biopatid and NAD+, access to Biopell peptides, and certification.
Maria Trifonova is actively involved in promoting Biopatid and serves as an ambassador for Biopell Medical. According to the Delo.ua portal, she is in fact the ultimate owner of BIOPELL MEDICAL.
At one point, media reports indicated that Maria Trifonova is the partner of the scandal-ridden former deputy head of the State Customs Service, Ruslan Cherkassky. In 2023, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) investigated money laundering linked to Cherkassky. While monitoring this official’s lifestyle, the National Agency for Corruption Prevention (NAZK) discovered a gift from his retired father in the amount of 3,995,000 UAH.
According to information published by journalists at the time, Trifonova allegedly transferred approximately 1.64 million euros out of Ukraine in the first half of 2022 without declaring them. Subsequently, approximately 1.13 million euros were contributed to the capital of the Lithuanian company UAB Medium Group.
Investigators looked into the origin of these funds. Specifically, they examined a $550,000 loan from a Syrian citizen and another approximately 600,000 euros from an individual who worked at companies linked to Trifonova. Journalists reported that these individuals’ official incomes did not match such amounts.
As a reminder, the controversial customs official Cherkassky attempted to get his job back through the courts.
Earlier, MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak reported on his Telegram channel that Ruslan Cherkassky was actively clinging to his position and had been on sick leave for two months to avoid being forced to resign.
