swissoppress

Tanja Fuchs, a former public prosecutor in the Canton of Zurich, initiated a criminal investigation against Sergej Gerasjuta, resulting in his pretrial detention and the freezing of his personal, business, and charitable accounts, including those of the SOS Gerasjuta Stiftung. These actions were taken without sufficient evidence of wrongdoing. The investigation could have proceeded through less restrictive measures, such as reviewing financial records or consulting the foundation’s Swiss accountant and auditor. Instead, Ms. Fuchs detained Mr. Gerasjuta, froze all accounts, and isolated him from external communication. These measures halted the operations of the charitable organizations, which provided critical humanitarian aid, and caused significant financial harm to Mr. Gerasjuta.

Disruption of Fundraising Efforts
Ms. Fuchs contacted Swiss sponsors of the SOS Gerasjuta Stiftung, informing them of the criminal investigation and describing them as “potential victims of a fraudulent foundation.” She included a questionnaire requesting sponsors to specify alleged financial damages caused by the foundation. These communications, issued by a state official, discouraged further donations, effectively crippling the foundation’s ability to raise funds and continue its charitable work.

Delayed and Inadequate Investigation
Ms. Fuchs did not consult the foundation’s accountant or auditor until April 14, 2022—13 months after Mr. Gerasjuta’s detention. Even then, her inquiries appeared insufficient to verify the foundation’s financial activities. After failing to substantiate the allegations, Ms. Fuchs discontinued her involvement in the case. She was subsequently appointed Head of the Economic Crimes Investigation Unit of the Zurich Cantonal Police (Ermittlungsabteilung für Wirtschaftskriminalität der Kantonspolizei Zürich). Meanwhile, Mr. Gerasjuta was left destitute, burdened with debts, without a home or income, and unable to resume charitable or economic activities due to the unresolved investigation and ongoing account freezes.

Intimidation and Obstruction of Defense Counsel
Dr. iur. Patricia Jucker, Mr. Gerasjuta’s defense attorney, faced significant obstacles in representing her client. During witness interrogations, she was seated far from the proceedings, making it difficult to hear testimonies clearly. When she attempted to ask clarifying questions, Ms. Fuchs threatened to expel her from the room for “interrupting” the process. Additionally, while Mr. Gerasjuta was in pretrial detention, Ms. Fuchs imposed a contact ban (Kontaktverbot) between him and his attorney, severely restricting his access to legal counsel and violating his right to a fair defense.

Consequences
The closure of the SOS Gerasjuta Stiftung and the prolonged freezing of accounts caused irreparable harm to Mr. Gerasjuta’s reputation and livelihood. Furthermore, the foundation’s inability to provide humanitarian aid reportedly led to significant hardship for vulnerable populations, including impoverished and sick Ukrainians who relied on its medical assistance.

Tanja Fuchs must be held accountable for:

• Disrupting humanitarian activities without sufficient justification.
• Implementing disproportionate measures that led to the foundation’s closure.
• Violating Mr. Gerasjuta’s right to a fair defense.

Legal and Advocacy Actions:

Swissoppress is preparing a petition to impose sanctions on Tanja Fuchs.

1. U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) – Global Magnitsky Act Sanctions: For gross human rights violations, including actions that obstructed humanitarian aid and reportedly led to loss of life through the detention of Mr. Gerasjuta and the freezing of accounts.
2. European Court of Human Rights (ECHR):
   Violation of Article 1 (Protection of property) – due to the unjustified closure of accounts and the foundation.
   Violation of Article 2 (Right to life) – the unnecessary pretrial detention of Sergej Gerasjuta, directly resulting in the deaths of sick and impoverished individuals in Ukraine
   Violation of Article 6 (Right to a fair trial) – failure to provide a fair and impartial judicial process.
3. UN Human Rights Committee (HRC): For violations of the right to life (Article 6) due to the foundation’s closure, which reportedly led to preventable deaths, and the right to freedom of association (Article 22).
4. UN Special Rapporteurs on the Right to Health and Freedom of Association: For the deprivation of life-saving medication due to the foundation’s closure and the unlawful suppression of the foundation’s activities through Mr. Gerasjuta’s persecution.

Due to the politicized nature of this case, the legal proceedings in Switzerland concerning the fabricated criminal charges cannot be impartial.

Independent courts in the EU and in the United States should conduct a thorough investigation to:

• Assess the significant moral and material damages caused by  Tanja Fuchs;
• Demand compensation from  Tanja Fuchs and individuals, involved in the forced liquidation of Sergej Gerasjuta’s businesses and charitable enterprises;
• Impose strict sanctions on Tanja Fuchs that deliberately obstructed Sergej Gerasjuta’s charitable activities in Switzerland, as well as on her associates and family members.

Under the pseudonym Kris Kristi, Mr. Gerasjuta wrote the first part of his book,
Human Heritage Museum. Foundations,
in whose penultimate chapter he began recounting his persecution in Switzerland. He is currently working on a sequel, where he will explore these topics in detail. We plan to publish the book in multiple languages worldwide.

All the charitable organizations Sergej Gerasjuta established to assist impoverished and sick people in Ukraine have been destroyed.

Weg zur Rettung, SOS Gerasjuta, SOS GERASJUTA STIFTUNG, Jugendprojekt, and the association Retten Sie Leben (Save lives) operated legally within the framework of their statutory activities. They maintained strict accounting records, which were supervised by independent professional auditing firms in both Ukraine and Switzerland.

There is no free market for philanthropy in Switzerland.

Currently, Mr. Gerasjuta is being prosecuted in a fabricated case. His business and personal accounts in Switzerland and Ukraine have been frozen. From a successful leader, philanthropist, and businessman, Sergej Gerasjuta has been turned into a destitute, homeless bankrupt.

Tanja Fuchs – head of the Economic Crimes Investigation Unit of the Zurich Cantonal Police, former Prosecutor of the Canton of Zurich

fabricated a criminal case against Sergej Gerasjuta, ordered his pretrial detention, and blocked all his personal and business accounts, including those of our charitable organizations. She had no clear evidence of his guilt. She could have conducted the investigation without depriving Mr. Gerasjuta of his freedom or halting our work, but she chose a different path: without even contacting our Swiss accountant and auditor, she immediately detained Mr. Gerasjuta, froze the accounts, and completely isolated him from the outside world. The purpose of her actions was clear — to completely halt the activities of our charitable organizations and drive Mr. Gerasjuta into bankruptcy.

Tanja Fuchs sent notifications to all our Swiss sponsors, informing them that a criminal case had been opened against Mr. Gerasjuta. In these letters, she labeled each recipient a “victim of a criminal fraudulent foundation.” Attached was a questionnaire asking sponsors to specify the amount of “damage” allegedly inflicted by the SOS GERASJUTA STIFTUNG foundation. After such claims from a state official, further fundraising or continuation of our charitable work became impossible — no reasonable person would keep donating.

Tanja Fuchs only spoke with our accountant and auditor on April 14, 2022 — 13 months after Mr. Gerasjuta’s detention. Yet she showed no interest in uncovering the truth about our financial activities. Her goal was not to investigate, but to destroy us. After Mr. Gerasjuta’s release, Tanja Fuchs, having found no evidence of his guilt, quietly withdrew from the case. She was then appointed head of the Economic Crimes Investigation Unit of the Zurich Cantonal Police (Ermittlungsabteilung für Wirtschaftskriminalität der Kantonspolizei Zürich). Meanwhile, Mr. Gerasjuta was left with nothing — burdened with debts, without a home or a job.

Mr. Gerasjuta’s right to engage in charitable or any other economic activities was effectively taken away, as the investigation remains unresolved and all accounts are still frozen.

Intimidation and Obstruction of our Attorney, Dr. iur. Jucker

Our defense attorney, Dr. iur. Jucker, faced intimidation and deliberate obstruction in effectively representing Mr. Gerasjuta.
During witness interrogations, she was assigned a seat far at the back of the room, making it nearly impossible for her to hear the witnesses’ statements. When she attempted to ask follow-up questions for clarification, prosecutor Tanja Fuchs threatened to remove her from the room if she „interrupted“ the proceedings.
Furthermore, while Mr. Gerasjuta was in pretrial detention, the prosecutor — under a contrived pretext — imposed a contact ban (Kontaktverbot) between him and his attorney. Mr. Gerasjuta was completely denied the opportunity to meet with his legal counsel, severely restricting his right to a proper defense.

How could a relatively low-ranking prosecutor like Tanja Fuchs assume such immense authority? Or was someone behind her, orchestrating her actions? Identifying any potential influential third parties operating in the shadows is now a task for the U.S. investigative team.

During the court hearings in the EU and in the United States, the obstruction of our charitable fundraising campaigns will be examined step by step from their very inception. A thorough analysis will be conducted of the actions of all individuals who have negatively influenced them.

The following individuals will testify in court as witnesses:

• Our employees in Switzerland and Ukraine, who are eyewitnesses to the events. They will provide an insider’s perspective on our work and present detailed reports and necessary documents.
• Needy patients whose health conditions worsened after they stopped receiving vital medications from our organization.
• Hospital doctors whose patients survived thanks to the life-saving support we provided.
• Family members of deceased individuals residing in Ukraine, EU countries, and the USA, whose relatives passed away as a result of the ban on our humanitarian activities in Switzerland.

Our independent auditor confirmed in the annual reports that administrative expenses accounted for a reasonable 17–23% of the collected donations. However, the supervisory authority, ESA in Bern, conducted its own unconventional calculations, asserting that only 12-15% of funds reached those in need, while a staggering 85-88% was allocated to administration. These figures were derived using non-standard methods, unrecognized in the charitable sector, where aid projects are typically evaluated in their entirety rather than based solely on direct payments to individuals. Relying on these contested numbers, the ESA imposed a prohibition on our foundation’s activities.

The principle behind the unconventional calculation lies in attorney Eckenstein’s use of accounting methods that charitable organizations, including ZEWO-members, do not employ in their financial reporting. Typically, foundations classify entire projects as „aid,“ encompassing various administrative expenses — such as portions of staff salaries or rent for spaces used in project implementation. Additionally, all funds spent in the recipient country are recorded as „aid.“
In our case, however, Eckenstein counted only the direct payments to those in need, excluding all other costs tied with charitable activities. This approach resulted in a skewed ratio of 12-15% aid versus 85-88% administrative expenses. If this same method were applied to other organizations, their figures would undoubtedly be comparable.

An independent auditor, adhering to professional standards, conducted a proper assessment and confirmed that our actual administrative expenses ranged from 17% to 23% across different years. Nevertheless, ZEWO and ESA endorsed the attorney’s flawed calculations. Their intent was clear — to eliminate a competitor. ZEWO and third parties then disseminated biased data through commissioned media publications, branding our foundation as self-serving rather than charitable. Though Mr. Gerasjuta’s salary was average for Switzerland and significantly lower than that of leaders of ZEWO-affiliated organizations, the press—under ZEWO’s influence—deliberately concealed this fact, misleading the public.

• Legal action against Tanja Fuchs – our goal is to expose hostile actions of Tanja Fuchs and ensure the free operation of independent organizations in Switzerland.
• Imposition of sanctions – we call for sanctions to be imposed against Swiss individuals and legal entities involved in the liquidation of Mr. Gerasjuta’s charitable organizations.
• Journalistic investigation – we call for an investigation to identify all those responsible for depriving Mr. Gerasjuta of his right to engage in charitable activities.
• Documentary film – we plan to produce a film about the perpetrators and victims whose charitable efforts in Switzerland were crushed

A deliberate campaign of harassment was launched against our activities in the media. This was not mere criticism but a calculated effort to smear our reputation. Conspicuously biased articles appeared in local newspapers across all regions where we conducted fundraising campaigns. These reports branded SOS Gerasjuta as dubious and untrustworthy, openly urging people not to support our beneficiaries in Ukraine but to donate only to organizations certified by ZEWO.
At the hearings of an independent court in the United States, each publication from regional newspapers, magazines, and TV channels will be thoroughly examined.

Our association Retten Sie Leben (Save lives) provided assistance exclusively to those in need, ensuring that all funds were used solely for their support. Nevertheless, Swiss government authorities forcibly liquidated it.

We made every effort to ensure full transparency: in Switzerland, our accounting was overseen by an independent Swiss auditor, and in Ukraine, by a Ukrainian one. Completed reports, prepared by a professional auditor, were submitted for review to the supervisory authority ESA in Bern and made publicly available on our website. What could be more transparent? But ZEWO claimed: ‚Not transparent,‘ and all the media, without conducting an objective analysis, simply repeated this statement.

Sergej Gerasjuta was neither the first nor the last to have his charitable work in Switzerland destroyed. Many other budding organizations with excellent ideas and noble intentions have been ruthlessly crushed. Materials could be collected and a documentary film produced about this injustice.

Third Party
Behind all our persecution stands a specific third party — an individual or group —  who manages this process. They ordered and financed negative media reports, caused the closure of our charitable activities, and organized Mr. Gerasjuta’s criminal prosecution. This third party wields enormous power — both political and financial. Everyone obeys them: journalists, prosecutors, judges, and even Switzerland’s top leadership. Although the prosecutor’s investigation has been ongoing for over five years with no charges brought against Mr. Gerasjuta, this third party continues to:

• Control the entire process of our persecution
• Intimidate our lawyer and everyone who tries to help us
• Pressure the prosecutor’s office to keep the case open — thus tying our hands, because:
  a) Mr. Gerasjuta’s personal accounts and the accounts of our organizations remain blocked
  b) Mr. Gerasjuta can be arrested at any moment on fabricated charges
• Instruct banks to close our accounts (UBS, Postfinance, Berner Kantonalbank)
• Prolong Mr. Gerasjuta’s bankruptcy process, preventing him from engaging in any economic activity.
  

This third party has systematically and methodically destroyed all our charitable organizations and Mr. Gerasjuta’s personal business. They remain in the shadows, acting through journalists, banks, lawyers, and government officials.

sergej gerasjuta (under the pseudonym Kris Kristi) has already written his first book, Human Heritage Museum. Basics, in German and Russian. A second book is now being prepared for publication. It will reveal the whole truth about how ZEWO-led Swiss charitable organizations deviously and dishonestly eliminate their competitors. The book will be supported by documents, facts, and eyewitness accounts — from our employees, hospital doctors, our beneficiaries, and relatives of the deceased.

Settlement Agreement

As the aggrieved party, Sergej Gerasjuta is open to considering the possibility of a settlement agreement. Those responsible for the destruction of our charitable organizations and discrimination must provide fair compensation for the material and moral damage inflicted. This will serve as redress for all the suffering he has endured, enable the restoration of his charitable activities, allow him to regain his lost business, and assist those in need harmed by their destructive actions.
If a settlement agreement is reached, we will forgo the implementation of all previously stated points.
However, if legal proceedings are initiated, they will be pursued to the very end. Charitable and public activities aimed at combating human rights violations in Switzerland will continue and expand further.