In Odessa, the director of a foundation was taken into custody on suspicion of selling humanitarian exercise equipment

In Odesa, the director of a charitable foundation was taken into custody on suspicion of selling exercise equipment that had been imported into Ukraine as humanitarian aid. 

The Kyiv District Court of Odessa issued the corresponding ruling.

According to the investigation, the director headed the charitable foundation “Promoting Investments in Construction and Addressing Social Issues of Active-Duty Military Personnel and Those Discharged to the Reserve.” Through the foundation, he organized the import of humanitarian cargo into Ukraine, including food, medicine, and other aid.

However, in late November 2025, according to law enforcement officials, the foundation’s director decided to profit from humanitarian goods. During a meeting at a restaurant in Odesa, he met an entrepreneur who sold and refurbished sports equipment. The entrepreneur told him which exercise machines he was interested in.

According to investigators, the foundation’s director did not disclose the origin of the equipment but agreed to gradually transfer it to the buyer in exchange for cash.

The first shipment of used exercise machines, weighing 5.49 metric tons, was processed as humanitarian aid in June 2026. The equipment came from a Polish donor. On June 19, the foundation’s director handed over four Star Trac and TechnoGym exercise machines to a businessman, receiving $4,800 in exchange. 

In September, two more shipments of sports equipment were delivered to Odesa. The first, weighing 6.9 metric tons, was imported from Poland. While unloading at the warehouse, the driver informed the police that the cargo was humanitarian aid.

According to investigators, on the same day, the foundation’s director handed over four more exercise machines to the buyer, including equipment from Matrix, Panatta, and SportsArt. He received $7,900 for this shipment.

The last shipment, weighing 5.5 metric tons, was delivered from the United States. The director of the charitable foundation handed over a Life Fitness Crossover exercise machine to the businessman for $4,800.

In total, according to investigators’ estimates, from June to September 2026, the foundation’s director sold humanitarian sports equipment worth 722,728 hryvnias. Law enforcement officials charged him under Part 3 of Article 201-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine—the illegal use of humanitarian aid on an especially large scale for the purpose of making a profit.

The judge partially granted the investigator’s motion and ordered that the foundation’s director remain in custody until December 22, 2026. At the same time, the judge set bail at 133,120 hryvnias. If the bail is posted, the man is to be released from custody.

Анна Літман