ukraine Donations Diverted to Personal Expenses and Trump-Linked Figure, Allegations Claim
A Canadian nonprofit association purportedly dedicated to supporting Ukraine has come under fire amid accusations that donated funds were misused on expenses ranging from pizza and Home Depot purchases to payments for volunteers and a convicted felon with ties to former U.S. President Donald Trump. The allegations, brought forth by a former co-founder, have sparked a wave of scrutiny surrounding the Mriya Report and its founder, Canadian Forces Captain Joseph Friedberg.
The controversy began swirling in September 2024, when 24 volunteers abruptly resigned from the Mriya Report, citing “various ethical concerns.” However, the extent of those concerns remained largely unknown until a broadcast on the social media platform X on January 1, 2026. During the broadcast, Ryan Meyer, a co-founder of the organization, publicly detailed what he alleges were numerous instances of financial impropriety.
“It kind of breaks my heart that an organization that I thought was supposed to be helping people in (Ukraine) turned out to be enriching a Canadian,” Meyer stated, referring to Friedberg. The broadcast reportedly drew an audience of over 27,000 listeners.
Friedberg has not responded to multiple requests for comment. Though, in a November 17, 2022 email to the Ottawa Citizen, Friedberg described the Mriya Report as “an online facts space that speaks to Ukrainians,” and asserted, “I receive no money…none of the volunteers touch money.” Scott Harper, currently listed as the Mriya Report president, also did not respond to requests for comment.
Meyer claims he resigned due to his growing concerns about the alleged financial irregularities linked to Friedberg. Other former volunteers echoed these concerns during the X broadcast,raising questions about serious managerial and accountability issues within the nonprofit. While these allegations remain unverified, Meyer presented what he claims are pages of the Mriya Report’s bank statements as evidence.
These statements reportedly reveal payments for gas in the Toronto area, purchases at Best Buy and Home Depot, car rentals in Ontario, and even pizza deliveries. Meyer further alleges that tens of thousands of dollars were paid as stipends to co-hosts, ranging from $1,000 to $2,100, funded by private donors intended to cover operational costs. The statement explained that when those funds were depleted, public donations were used to cover operational and overhead expenses.
The allegations surrounding the Mriya Report extend to a related organization, Mriya Aid, a not-for-profit in Ottawa created in 2022 by lieutenant Colonel Melanie Lake and other Canadian Forces officers. lake, who served as chairperson of Mriya Aid, left the organization in March 2023.
Both the Ottawa Citizen and The New York Times have reported on allegations of mismanagement and wrongdoing within Mriya Aid, highlighting broader issues with volunteer efforts supporting Ukraine.
Further complicating matters, Friedberg reportedly threatened legal action against Olga Khudetska, a Ukrainian journalist who now provides first aid training to frontline troops, after she raised concerns about equipment donated by Mriya Aid in January 2023. Friedberg allegedly labeled Khudetska a “so-called journalist” and sent a message stating, “You’re done. Get a lawyer.”
In the same month, Friedberg publicly criticized U.S. lawyer David Leopold, who advised President Joe Biden’s transition team, calling him a “useful idiot” for sharing an article about Mriya Aid. leopold had previously raised concerns about friedberg’s behavior to Lake,accusing him of harassment,wich Friedberg denied. Lake acknowledged these concerns in a July 21,2022 message,stating her intention to remove Friedberg from the organization and consider potential action from a Canadian Armed Forces perspective. However, she later issued a statement to the Ottawa citizen stating Leopold’s concerns did not indicate any military service offense.
The unfolding situation raises serious questions about the oversight and accountability of nonprofits operating in support of Ukraine, and underscores the importance of transparency in charitable giving. .
