The Child Cancer Scam: 4. The contract

0:00This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. On June 11th, 1998, a deputy from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department went missing. Hey, if they'll kill a cop and bury them, what are they going to do to me? What really happened to the missing deputy? Valley of Shadows, a new series from Pushkin Industries about crime and corruption in California's high desert. Listen to Valley of Shadows wherever you get your podcasts.

0:35I am Nina Khrushcheva, the great-granddaughter of Nikita Khrushchev, the leader of the Soviet Union in 1962. And I'm Max Kennedy, the nephew of U.S. President John F. Kennedy. We explore what was a terrifying moment in history. The story of the Cuban Missile Crisis. How close the world came to nuclear war. And what they had to do to pull it back from the brink. The bomb, Kennedy and Khrushchev. All episodes available now, wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

1:13So we're approaching the border between Poland and Ukraine, and I never thought this would be the kind of story that would bring me to Ukraine of all places. May I collect your passport? Yes. I'm ready to check. My name is Ryver. But this is where I found the family of a little girl called Victoria, who appears in this recent Chancellor Tikva video.

1:44Her family lives in Chynivsy, in western Ukraine.

1:54Olena Fisova gives me a warm, welcoming hug. She has striking black and green eyelashes and red hair. It's her day off from the hospital, where she works as a nurse. Her daughter, who they also call Vikusa, is five years old. She has a long scar on her bald head and is recovering from her third brain tumour operation.

2:21When she sees me, she steps behind her mother and starts to cry.

2:29Olena lifts her up and comforts her and then leads me into their living room that's full of toys. On the table, I pull out my laptop and I show Olena the active online and social media campaigns for her daughter. So this is a Facebook page that they created and it says, Victoria, when hope is not enough. And you can see it has 4 ,000 followers and nearly 4 ,000 likes as well. And they created it in multiple languages. So this is the English version. And I found a French one and one in Czech and other languages as well. Olena frowns. Her gaze fixes on the screen. There are so many comments from people who donated money, wishing them well.

3:19I've scrolled down and we're now looking at a post from August 16th, 2024. and in it is you and Victoria sitting on a bed. You're both wearing dressing gowns and again the post is written as if you were saying it. I want to tell you that I can't believe it. I really feel like it's a dream. I see your efforts to save my daughter and it deeply moves us all. It's a race against time to raise the amount needed for Victoria's treatments. Did you write those words? No.

3:59I've never written about it, I've never spoken about it, and I've never posted these photos. I double-checked, I asked them where these photos and videos were going, because I didn't want everyone in Ukraine or elsewhere to see my child suffering. I didn't want that. They assured us it wouldn't be publicized. Olena wipes her eyes Clasping her knees with her hands She rocks back and forth She's clearly upset I wish it never existed And people wouldn't get rich On someone else's tragedy It's not even about the money It's about the situation The situation is that families are suffering I ask if she herself Would like to try and stop it She immediately nods And says yes It's wrong and it has to stop at some point.

4:54Someone has to stop it.

5:02This is World of Secrets, Season 10. The child cancer scam. A BBC World Service investigation. I'm Simi Jelaosho. Episode 4, The Contract.

5:31It's April 2024. Outside, an air raid siren goes off in the distance. Inside her apartment, Oleno's trying to keep things quiet. To let Victoria sleep, she's recovering from an operation. One day, she gets a phone call from a woman called Tetiana Haliavka, who says she works for a foundation. Her voice is smooth, almost rehearsed. She says foreign sponsors can offer financial help if they film Victoria in hospital.

6:11The thing is, we had already been discharged from the hospital. And at that particular time, Vykuysa was not undergoing any medical tests, so there was nothing to film. But Tatiana insists they can stage it. They explained to us that the sponsors had to see that something was being done medically to the child. We had to be on the ward. So, a few days later, they meet again at a clinic in Chinivtze called Angulholm. Victoria is put on a hospital bed where she sits, awkwardly. Fluorescent lights buzz overhead as a cameraman with a goatee called Oleg sets up and starts to film her. Victoria is getting more and more distressed.

7:03She starts to cry when she sees that a needle is going to be inserted into her arm. Olena says they wanted tears. It was very uncomfortable, really unpleasant. Uncomfortable for us and for the child. She was like, mum, please come and comfort me. I was restraining myself. I stood back. I didn't comfort her. But at that moment, I understood that it was necessary. It's what they wanted. After filming, Oleg calls the sponsors. Olena remembers him saying they were in America. He asks whoever is on the line if the videos are enough. There's a pause. He hangs up and turns to Olena. And then he said, the sponsors have agreed to help you.

7:56And he gave me a document, a contract, where it was written, help for children. Here, he said, sign it. I'll give you the money so that our sponsors have video evidence. She says he then handed her 1 ,500 US dollars in Ukrainian currency and filmed her accepting it. Olena's head is all over the place. I signed it and that's how it all ended.

8:27Olena insists both Tatiana and Oleg reassured her the video they filmed was only going to be viewed by the sponsors. It's only now that I've shown her that she knows it was viewed by many people. People who appear to have donated more than a quarter of a million dollars for her daughter, Victoria. I ask what's going through her mind, seeing the campaign live on the internet and raising money.

9:05First, anger. Anger, disrespect, despair. I don't even know how to describe these feelings. But when I saw these videos, these emotions when my daughter was crying, when she was, I can say, forced to cry, and I understood that it was all staged to manipulate people's feelings by using a child's illness. It's really scary. I don't know how these people live with God. It's not just business. It's a big sin. It's hard to imagine that people can really make money out of such tragedy. And it's very hard to accept that something like this really exists.

9:53Now that she knows the truth, Olena wants to help expose it. She's agreed to try and set up another meeting with Tatiana, so that this time we can secretly record it, to hear what promises she makes to families, and to hopefully have her reveal who she is reporting to. So a couple of days later, I return to Olena's home. She gives me a hug. She looks determined, ready for the task at hand. We head into her kitchen where Victoria is sitting. She's munching away on biscuits. Olena offers some to me too and a cup of tea. So I know we discussed a couple of days ago what we should say to Tatiana and you said that you would be open to saying that you need help again and asking for her help and possibly to film videos again.

10:49I just want to check that you're okay with going forward with that still. Yes, if it is going to help, of course. So we'll make the call now. Just keep it simple. Don't go into too many details. Just ask her questions. How can she help? What does she want you to do? And also, you can stick to the truth as close as possible as well when it comes to her treatment and so on. Let Tatiana do the talking.

11:26Hello, how are you? Yes, Alenочка? How are you doing? We're in trouble. They found another tumour in her head. Are you serious? We already had an operation and are now recovering, but having some problems. I wanted to ask, you mentioned before that you can help us, and we did not call you then. Where are you now? We're in Chernefti. They've let us come home for a bit. The doctors are having a joint meeting to decide what to do next, and then we'll know. You remember, it was quite expensive for us in Kiev, and I don't know how much money we will need.

12:15Tell me, how does she look now? You remember that we need a picture. Her eyes are a bit crossed, and she can walk, but with help. She can't walk on her own after the operation. Does she have hair? She has very short hair, like a boy. We need her to be without hair. You need her to be bald? Take a picture and send it to me. Her hair looks like it's been trimmed. Take a picture and send it to me. I will ask Olech. This is such bad news. It's such a pity, Alion. What can you do? Yes, it is. Okay, so will you be able to help us, or is it not guaranteed? It is not guaranteed. I can't tell you 100%.

13:00As I say, send me a photo showing what the situation is now, and I will deal with it immediately today, and by the end of the week, you will have a response. Okay, thank you. I will send it. Thank you. Yes, I'll leave it. Thank you. How are you feeling after that call? Now I feel better, calmer, because I understand the situation. It's unpleasant, but it's okay.

13:34Then, as instructed, Olena sends Tatiana a photo of Victoria with a headbandage, and then waits. A few hours later, Tatiana calls back. She wants to meet.

13:55On June 11th, 1998, a deputy from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department went missing. Hey, if don't kill a cop and bury him, what are they going to do to me? What really happened to the missing deputy? Valley of Shadows, a new series from Pushkin Industries about crime and corruption in California's high desert. Listen to Valley of Shadows wherever you get your podcasts.

14:25I am Nina Khrushcheva, the great-granddaughter of Nikita Khrushchev, the leader of the Soviet Union in 1962. And I'm Max Kennedy, the nephew of U.S. President John F. Kennedy. we explore what was a terrifying moment in history. The story of the Cuban Missile Crisis. How close the world came to nuclear war. And what they had to do to pull it back from the brink. The bomb, Kennedy and Khrushchev. All episodes available now, wherever you get your BBC podcasts. America is changing. And so is the world. But what's happening in America isn't just a cause of global upheaval. It's also a symptom of disruption that's happening everywhere.

15:09I'm Asma Khalid in Washington, D.C. I'm Tristan Redman in London, and this is The Global Story. Every weekday, we'll bring you a story from this intersection, where the world and America meet. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

15:32The night before Olena is set to meet Tatyana again and secretly record it, the city experiences what it's been dreading.

15:47Ukraine serves Russian forces attacked with 26 long-range missiles and nearly 600 drones overnight. Czernivsi is dragged into the wall for the first time.

16:03Olena and Victoria are forced to take shelter. We spread our blankets in the hallway where there are no windows and lay there. Of course, we couldn't really sleep. But we laid down, we prayed, we talked. It was scary. It's a very unsettling experience Not one you want before an undercover meeting But Olena is determined to go ahead with it One of our team, Katya Malafreva Is going with her to the meeting with Tatyana She's posing as a friend of Olena's And is the one wearing a hidden recorder I'm with Olena in the hospital And we're waiting for Tatyana to come She should come within the next 20, maybe 30 minutes.

16:54The time aches. I'm a little bit nervous. I didn't sleep until 5, 5.30 a.m. in the morning because I was anxious. Olena seems too. We'll do our best.

17:12Finally, Tatiana arrives. She's wearing a T-shirt, and her reddish-blonde ponytail is sticking out of her baseball cap. She's eyeing Katya suspiciously. The news is not good, because one child can't receive support twice. They can't help, she says, because Olena and Victoria were given some money before, the money on the day of the filming. On top of that, she says Olena hasn't sent enough new photos. And without this, there is nothing to talk about. They wanted to be clear that the child has cancer. So it's necessary to prove the child is ill, Katya asks. It's not about proving it. It just needs to be visible.

18:00As I said, the child should be bald. Then Katya asks her what the name of the charity she's working for is. It's Oleg who is reaching out to them, not me. He oversees that part, and he said, don't give them hope. I will try, but at the moment we have a refusal because there is nothing to see. If you want, you can call him. Then Tatiana says she has to go and wishes Olena good luck.

18:32Katia and Olena head to a nearby park to breathe and debrief. I just want to digest because it's been quite emotional. You know, Tatiana, her eyes did say that she was hiding something from us. You don't believe her, although she's quite a good actress. And the problem is that we didn't get what we wanted. We didn't get the name of the organization. If you work with this organization for two years, you definitely know the name of the organization. But I just want to ask Olen about her feelings. What did you understand after the meeting with Tatiana? I understood that she died. I realized she's lying.

19:16I don't know how involved she is or if she's just following instructions. Maybe Oleg told her not to say anything. I don't know. Maybe like me she's genuinely scared of something. Today I saw that she's lying. It's unpleasant. I don't know if anything will come of it but I really feel powerless here. I can't prove anything. So we need to call Oleg, the cameraman who Tatiana says is the one in direct contact with the charities. I check him out online and find that he also goes by the name Alex Cohen. A couple of weeks later, Katia calls him.

20:07He repeats what Tatiana said, that they can't do another video with Victoria. But then Oleg says there is a way they might be able to give Olena more money. I just wanted to say that the number of families we help really matters to the organization. So, for example, if through Olena we can reach someone else, if she could recommend maybe two or three families that need help, then we could also support Olena in return. Ah, I understand. Like getting a commission? Put very bluntly, yes. So the offer is to turn Olena into one of their recruiters. Katya then tells him she's looking for help for another friend who also has a child recovering from cancer.

21:00Could they apply for financial assistance? We want to see what he says to new families. The most important thing for the sponsors is the photo, the one where the child has no hair. Even if the child is already in remission, you can still see that they've been sick. And, God forbid, they might get sick again. Katya asks him how much money the family can expect to receive. He assures her a payment of US$1 ,000 on the day of filming is certain. But he says if the campaign is successful, there will be more money. If the parents agreed to make a video, then we would be talking about$8 ,000 to$10 ,000.

21:47If this material goes on social networks, they first need to cover the costs of promoting the campaign. And after that, everything that comes into their account will be given to the families. But this definitely hasn't been the case with the families I've spoken to. Victoria's campaign online says it made US$335 ,000, Khalil's US$27 ,000 and Anna's US$250 ,000. But from that, the amount the family received was zero. Olena says she was given verbal assurances that the videos of her daughter would not go on social media, that they would only be seen by the sponsor. But unlike Algin and Sergio, Olena did get a copy of the contract she signed on the day of filming.

22:41And it says something quite different. One of the clauses reads, The organization may determine the fundraising methods, select the fundraising platform, produce videos for donors, and invest in promoting the campaign via social media. Olena says Tatiana approached her, asking her to do the video and offering money. But the contract, again, says something very different. The family has approached the organization with a request to finance and manage a fundraising campaign on their behalf in order to raise the necessary funds for the child's treatment and to cover medical expenses as needed. The organization will open a bank account for donations and direct deposits in favor of the campaign.

23:24The funds will be managed and supervised by an accountant appointed by the organization. In the family fee section at the bottom, it says there'll be a one-time payment of$1 ,500 upon signing the contract, which Elena says she did receive. But then it says there's going to be more money. A further payment of 8 ,000 US dollars will be made upon reaching the fundraising threshold of blank.

23:55On Olena's copy, the amount the campaign needs to raise before she gets this amount has been left empty. And it even states, Should the family or any person acting on their behalf choose to conduct fundraising simultaneously, independently and separately from the fundraising platform selected by the organization, it shall be considered a material breach of this agreement. So if they don't tell the organization that anyone else is offering to help them, then they have breached the agreement. Olena says she wasn't given enough time to read or understand this contract but she has basically signed away her control of the campaign or of any fundraising for her daughter.