Odesa exposes scheme of trafficking of orphans to the United States

In Odesa, law enforcement officers suspect a woman of trafficking in Ukrainian orphans and children deprived of parental care. According to the investigation, she organized a scheme where minors were transported to the United States for adoption for money.

This was reported by the Center for Public Investigations.

On January 19, 2026, investigators filed a motion with the court to extend the suspect's detention. The court partially granted the motion.

How the scheme worked

According to the investigation, back in early 2022, the suspect and her accomplices set up illegal intermediary activities in the field of international adoption. The group consisted of Ukrainian citizens and unidentified persons who participated in all stages of registration and support of adoption of children by US citizens.

One of the methods of selecting children was through so-called "hosting" - trips of children to American families for vacations or holidays organized by charitable organizations. There, potential adoptive parents met the children, chose them, and established contact. Despite the fact that Ukrainian law prohibits adoption by foreigners without their presence in the country, the suspect circumvented the rules by using the difference in the laws of Ukraine and the United States and the humanitarian program Uniting for Ukraine (U4U), which provided benefits to refugees.

Organized group and crime plan

The investigation established that the woman created an organized group with a distribution of roles. She established corrupt ties with officials of children's services, recruited Ukrainian citizens as guardians for specific children, and used forged documents - income certificates, lease agreements, baptismal certificates - to legalize the guardianship. Members of the group pressured and misled officials, transported children to the United States, handed them over to American families, and received money for doing so.

To implement the scheme, the suspect recruited accomplices, including a person who posed as a high-ranking official and influenced government officials to expedite the custody and travel of children abroad. The group also recruited at least six men of military age who, for a fee, supported the process of fictitious guardianship and illegal transportation of children, including siblings.

The role of officials and court decisions

The investigation established that officials of the children's services in the Hlukhiv City Council of Sumy region, Cherkasy City Council and Bilohorodske Village Council of Bucha district of Kyiv region were involved in the criminal activity. They were unaware of the criminal plan, but in return for money participated in the preparation of fictitious documents for the appointment of guardians.

One of the accomplices created a fake WhatsApp account of the Deputy Head of the Presidential Office to influence officials, while the other one posed as a former employee of the ministry, who helped to control the process and ensure positive decisions regarding the children.

The court extended the suspect's detention until February 11, 2026. The bail amount is UAH 266 thousand 240. The investigation is ongoing, all members of the group are being identified and evidence is being collected regarding the illegal transportation of children to the United States and the receipt of money for their adoption.

Last year, in December, the Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office served three members of the criminal group with a notice of suspicion of illegally transporting Ukrainian orphans and children deprived of parental care to another country for future adoption.

Анна Літман