A fake rehabilitation center involving forced labor was uncovered in Odesa
In Odesa, law enforcement officials uncovered a so-called rehabilitation facility where people with alcohol and drug addictions were held under the guise of treatment. According to the investigation, patients were effectively forced to work without pay, and were used as free labor.
People Were Detained and Exploited
Prosecutors from the Odesa Regional Prosecutor’s Office have charged the 45-year-old founder of the facility. He is accused of recruiting, transporting, and transferring people for the purpose of exploitation by taking advantage of their vulnerable condition, committed as part of a premeditated conspiracy and on multiple occasions.
Details from the investigation
According to the investigation, in February 2023, the man moved to Odesa and established a center that was officially engaged in the rehabilitation of people with addictions. In reality, he and his accomplices recruited people, organized their transportation, and handed them over to clients to perform various types of manual labor.
Slave Labor Instead of Treatment
Relatives were convinced that their loved ones would receive professional care. They paid 13,000–15,000 UAH per month for their stay at the center. Meanwhile, the residents themselves worked for free—in exchange for food and lodging.
“Two instances of exploitation have been established so far. The victims were forced to care for the elderly, transport humanitarian aid, perform earthwork and construction work, and clean and cultivate plots of land. For each day of work by a single person, the organizer received 1,000 UAH, after which the participants in the scheme divided the funds among themselves,” the statement reads.
The residents were also prohibited from leaving the facility on their own or using phones. They did not receive the promised medical treatment.
According to the investigation, the scheme operated for over two years.
The prosecutor’s office filed a motion with the court requesting that the suspect be placed in pretrial detention.
The involvement of other individuals in the scheme is currently being investigated.
This was reported by the press center of the Office of the Prosecutor General.
As a reminder, the 19th innovative rehabilitation center of the RECOVERY network has opened in Kyiv.
As a reminder, plans are underway in the Kyiv region to establish a rehabilitation center for Ukrainians released from Russian captivity, as well as for the families of prisoners of war and defenders listed as missing in action. The facility will operate out of the “Zhovten” sanatorium in Koncha-Zaspa and will provide comprehensive psychological, medical, and social assistance to civilians, military personnel, and their family members.
