The Biopatid Case: Maria Trifonova Refused to Testify in Court
A pretrial detention order was issued against Maria Trifonova, the owner of a Kyiv clinic, in connection with the case involving the illegal manufacture and sale of the counterfeit weight-loss drug Biopatid. The court remanded her in custody for two months and set bail at 68 million hryvnias.
The suspect arrived at the hearing wearing a sweater embellished with rhinestones and Dior clothing. She declined to comment to reporters.
According to the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office, law enforcement officials, in collaboration with the Security Service of Ukraine, uncovered an organized group that, according to the investigation, had established large-scale illegal production and distribution of the counterfeit drug Biopatid throughout Ukraine.
According to the investigation, the counterfeit drug contained the active ingredient tirzepatide but was sold without the necessary documentation, state registration, or proper certification.
As part of the special operation, 27 participants in the scheme were notified of their status as suspects. Among them, according to the prosecutor’s office, are the organizer and owner of the underground laboratory, the owner of a Kyiv clinic, a customs broker, laboratory workers, packagers, sales and advertising managers, and others.
According to investigators, the organizer decided to set up illegal production of tirzepatide-based drugs due to high demand for weight-loss products.
Law enforcement officials determined that the main active ingredient, of unknown origin, was imported from China.
To conceal its true purpose and evade customs inspection, a customs broker under their control, according to the investigation, declared the goods as a dietary supplement.
After importation, the raw materials were delivered to an underground laboratory, where they were mixed with other components to produce Biopatid.
According to the prosecutor’s office, production took place without compliance with the necessary sanitary and technological requirements.
The finished product was sold through a specially created website, social media pages, and a network of sales managers. Biopatid was offered to beauty salons, clinics, and healthcare professionals in various regions of Ukraine.
To promote the product, according to the investigation, bloggers, actors, and other public figures were enlisted.
In addition, law enforcement officials stated that the product was shipped to customers without maintaining the required temperature conditions.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the cost of raw materials was approximately $17 per unit, while the finished product was sold for up to $1,200.
Preliminary estimates indicate that, as of early 2026, according to law enforcement, more than $5 million worth of the product had been manufactured.
Separately, investigators are examining the role of the owner of a Kyiv clinic. According to law enforcement, despite knowing the drug was illegal, she may have promoted it among colleagues, at industry training events, and on social media.
Law enforcement officials also claim that those involved in the scheme were aware of cases of adverse reactions among consumers following use of the drug; however, according to the investigation, they did not cease its sale.
As part of the investigation, law enforcement conducted more than 250 authorized searches at locations where the drug was manufactured, stored, and sold, as well as at hospitals and cosmetic clinics.
Investigative activities took place in Kyiv and the Kyiv region, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Poltava, Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Mykolaiv, Rivne, Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi, and Chernihiv.
During the searches, the following were seized:
- the counterfeit drug and raw materials used to manufacture it;
- equipment from an underground laboratory;
- packaging materials and finished printed products;
- documentation and rough notes;
- cell phones and computer equipment.
In addition, law enforcement officers seized funds in various currencies totaling approximately 15 million hryvnias, luxury vehicles, and other property.
The issue of preventive measures for the other suspects is currently being decided. The investigation is identifying all possible participants in the scheme, the supply channels for raw materials, the volumes of products manufactured and sold, as well as the group of people who may have been harmed as a result of their use.
At the same time, the information provided represents the investigation’s version of events, and the suspects’ guilt must be proven in court.
This was reported in the courtroom.
As a reminder, law enforcement recently uncovered a large-scale illegal business that brought its beneficiaries at least $5 million. The criminal group “capitalized” on the high demand for weight-loss and health-improvement products. The fraudsters organized the underground production of the drug “Biopatid” and sold it throughout Ukraine.
