Lviv activist with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) Nazariy Husakov is suspected of fraud.

Famous Lviv activist Nazariy Husakov is suspected of possible abuses during fundraising for the treatment of SMA – a rare genetic disease.

The man requires expensive medication monthly, for which he conducted fundraising. For the first time in a long while, volunteers requested a financial report on the use of donations, but Husakov did not provide one. This raised suspicions of possible misuse, after which information about his involvement in gambling and the existence of a cryptocurrency wallet with multi-million dollar turnovers in US dollars began to appear online.

31-year-old Lviv native Nazariy Husakov is a public activist and public figure living with a rare genetic disease – spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 2. This disease gradually affects the muscles responsible for vital life functions and requires constant therapy with expensive medications.

The key drug that sustains Nazariy’s life is “Evrysdi” (risdiplam). One vial costs approximately 274,000 hryvnias, and the annual course includes about 30 vials, totaling over 8 million hryvnias.

Husakov has long been active in the media space: he publicly supported Ukrainian defenders and inspired others diagnosed with SMA.

His fundraising campaigns were actively covered by well-known personalities such as Mykhailo Tkach, the Bihus.Info team, Serhiy Sternenko, Ihor Lachenko, and others. Recently, Bihus.Info journalists shared his bank details following reports of a serious deterioration in his health.

Although the state program covers only patients with SMA type 1, Husakov also received support from the city authorities. Last year, the Lviv City Council allocated 3.5 million hryvnias to purchase 14 vials of the drug, and another 14 vials were provided free of charge by Roche Ukraine. This supply was intended to cover treatment from June 2024 to March 2025.

However, despite the assistance provided, posts continued to appear on his Telegram channel requesting additional contributions for treatment.

The scandal erupted on June 17 on the social network X (formerly Twitter), when the volunteer community publicly addressed Nazariy Husakov with a request to provide reports on the funds spent, collected for treatment. Unfortunately, the activist did not provide concrete proof of expenses. Investigators claim that about 40 million hryvnias were accumulated solely through the Monobank platform. Additionally, donations were received via “Konvert” in PrivatBank, PayPal, buymeacoffee, as well as to a cryptocurrency wallet.

Over time, the public noticed a number of other controversial facts. In particular, it was observed online that the activist posted the same photo twice as proof of medication purchases – in February and October 2024. The October post was later deleted.

Another source of distrust is Husakov’s archived posts on X, which show his activity on online casinos.

The most sensational was the information about a cryptocurrency wallet linked to the activist. According to checks, it handled a turnover of 2.716 million USDT, equivalent to US dollars.

Journalist Olga Khudetska published a structured list of controversial points regarding the fundraising for Nazariy Husakov’s treatment. According to her post, initially the activist reported a monthly need of one vial costing 500,000 hryvnias. However, the stated amount later increased to 730,000 hryvnias. In subsequent posts, he indicated that he needed not one but five vials monthly.

Moreover, in August 2023, Husakov claimed he managed to purchase the medication at a discounted price – 500,000 hryvnias per unit. But over time, public statements appeared citing significantly higher expenses – over one million hryvnias monthly.

After nearly a day of silence following public requests for accountability, Nazariy did not provide financial explanations and instead decided to leave the social network X. In his last post, he wrote:

“This is my last post here. If everything works out, then at least this year I won’t have to raise more for Evrysdi. Only rehabilitation procedures and medications will remain… I don’t want support, neither verbal nor material. I don’t want anything… I have nothing: no apartment, no car. I live in an old dormitory on the 5th floor, where I had to carve out a ramp and elevator. I have elderly grandmother and grandfather… I just live as best and as long as I can. I fight. I’m grateful to have a job and to those who support me just like that. They support my life. I thank the city and my doctors. Everyone who wants to support me, the links will always be relevant.”

At BIHUS.Info, which previously was the most active supporter of Nazariy Husakov’s fundraising, they have already responded to the situation. In their statement, the editorial team said they are closely monitoring developments and expect comprehensive explanations from Husakov himself. Currently, according to them, accounting specialists are helping Nazariy prepare a complete and transparent financial report.

The editorial team also noted that they had no reason to doubt the authenticity of his story, as it concerns a truly serious and complex disease.

Journalist Mykhailo Tkach, who also actively supported the boy’s fundraising earlier, responded as well – he noted that he contacted Nazariy for explanations in the morning, and Husakov promised to provide an accountant’s report.