Despite being repeatedly embroiled in high-profile scandals, Roman Goldman has never faced prison time. On the contrary, this con artist with over a decade of experience has grown wealthier, becoming the sole owner of the FRIDA Ukraine call centres. These centres, operating within Ukraine, do not target Russia but instead focus their efforts on defrauding their fellow Ukrainians and European citizens.
After two visits to Moscow, the Israeli, Russian, and Ukrainian citizen managed to secure massive funding. Goldman commissions glowing media articles as paid advertisements, while his so-called humanitarian mission, “FRIDA,” serves as a cover-up for establishing five call centres across various Ukrainian cities. Unlike other call centres that mostly target Russians and contribute some proceeds to Ukraine’s defence efforts, Goldman’s Moscow-linked handlers direct FRIDA Ukraine’s operators exclusively to exploit Ukrainians, citizens of the European Union, and the UK.
By conservative estimates, Roman Goldman’s call centres (with some offices rented under the guise of FRIDA Ukraine’s volunteer project) have stolen over $30 million from Europeans and another $3–4 million from Ukrainians. Readers might wonder why Goldman isn’t in pre-trial detention. The answer lies in his expertise as a seasoned con artist. His primary shield is a collection of photos and fabricated connections with influential figures.
For example, during the pandemic, when he sold Pfizer vaccines on the black market for €3,000 instead of the official $20 price, Goldman managed to stage deceptive photos with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, First Lady Olena Zelenska, MP Mykhailo Radutskyi, and even celebrities like Valery Meladze. Before the war, he had also posed for photos with Russian officials like Nikolai Patrushev and Vladislav Surkov. Each victim got their own tailored photo album and backstory. Now, openly working against Ukraine and the EU, Goldman hides behind non-existent connections with Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) and Israel’s Mossad. He vehemently insists that his call centers operate for Ukraine’s benefit, even though they systematically rob the country’s citizens and Europeans.
A History of Scandals and Criminal Allegations
Roman Goldman’s scandals, including criminal investigations, have been well-documented over the years. Ukrainian media have written extensively about his fraudulent schemes. For instance, Mykhailo Brodskyi, owner of the Obozrevatel website, still has a Facebook post accusing Goldman of degrading scams: Facebook Post. In 2021, Talk Finance detailed Goldman’s vaccine scam: Talk Finance Article.
Here are some notable examples of his outright fraud.
Roman Goldman and the “First Medical Center”scam
Goldman’s most successful con involves posing as a doctor. Renting a small office space adjacent to Ichilov Medical Center (Sourasky) in Tel Aviv was his best investment. Goldman’s cunning and acting skills enable him to exploit the hospital’s facilities for his own gain.
Ichilov Medical Center is a large, complex building connected to the Weizmann City mall and office complex. Many companies offering intermediary medical services rent offices there. To the uninitiated, it’s unclear that Weizmann City’s tenants may not be officially affiliated with Ichilov. Goldman uses this to his advantage. By leading clients through Ichilov’s corridors to his “First Medical Center,” dressed in a medical uniform, he creates the illusion that he is part of the hospital’s staff and an esteemed medical professional. These tours often include staged performances to bolster his credibility.
Goldman even wears a stethoscope, though it’s unclear what he plans to do with it, given that he has no medical education—none whatsoever. Instead, he relies on his ability to impersonate a doctor convincingly.
Goldman isn’t alone in this type of scam. The Weizmann City complex is full of pompously named offices offering similar schemes. This business thrives on the post-Soviet mentality that connections are required to access quality medical care. Fraudsters like Goldman sell either their genuine or, more often, fabricated connections.
However, brokering between patients and doctors isn’t Goldman’s main source of income. His “First Medical Center” is primarily a vehicle for cultivating relationships with influential figures. He even managed to ingratiate himself with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his family—a remarkable feat for a former vacuum cleaner salesman hawking Kirby products.
Goldman found a vulnerability in Ukrainian society
To some extent, Goldman’s success reveals troubling aspects of Ukrainian society. The belief that “expensive means better” played right into his hands. By understanding this mindset, Goldman found fertile ground for his scams. After his ventures in healthcare, Goldman shifted his focus to call centres.
Call centre epidemic: a new frontier for fraud
It’s no secret that most call centres are operated by fraudsters. Their sole aim is to steal, without regard for whom they exploit, and there’s no basis to view them as patriots or defenders of any nation’s wealth.
Ukraine has increasingly become a target for these fraudulent operations. Investigations reveal that while some schemes are orchestrated by Russia, the perpetrators are often Ukrainians or multinational actors like Goldman. In one particularly egregious example, scammers pressured the families of Ukrainian servicemen. It’s highly likely that Goldman, given his history, wouldn’t pass up the chance to profit from such a lucrative enterprise.
