Human Barbie: Influencer Valeria Lukyanova accused of poisoning followers who were promised the elixir of eternal life
Dozens of women have come together to accuse a blogger known as Human Barbie of running a cult that offered bizarre elixirs of immortality but left followers with severe health problems.
The accusations surfaced in Russia in September 2025, where former fans of Ukrainian-born Valeria Lukyanova, now believed to be living abroad, said she continued to sell her rejuvenation courses online with the help of her mother.
Victims said Lukyanova told them she had achieved immortality and claimed her beauty tips would grant "eternal youth”.
Her advice included drinking turpentine, inhaling mercury vapour and taking narcotics, methods that left some women hospitalised and others in psychiatric clinics.
Former student Ekaterina Shcherbak said she was given the herbal drug kratom, which made her vomit violently.
Ekaterina recalled: "She told me it was Hydra," describing the fictional character Lukyanova said she was battling.
Ekaterina later said she was kidnapped by strangers, raped, and spent months recovering in hospital and in hiding while receiving psychiatric help.
Other victims accused Lukyanova of being linked to human trafficking and said they had contacted the Ukrainian Security Service, which allegedly confirmed some details.
Lukyanova, who first rose to fame in Odesa in the mid-2000s after winning the Miss Diamond Crown of Ukraine title, was once a regular guest on television and built a massive following on social media by cultivating her doll-like looks.
Despite not having a medical degree, she sold courses to her almost 2m followers, claiming her methods were the secret to staying forever young.
Her popularity was boosted by a striking appearance – platinum-blonde hair, unnaturally narrow waist, large breasts and wide eyes – which she insisted came from strict diets, exercise and only one surgical enhancement, breast augmentation.
In April 2021, Lukyanova shared old photos and videos of herself alongside her father and sister to reject claims of multiple cosmetic procedures.
She said she had been beautiful even before, and attributed her transformation to a vegetarian lifestyle, training, and giving up smoking and alcohol. She described herself as "ideal" and wrote under one post: "I have never seen a more perfect person than me."
Her mother, Irina Pashkeeva, is said to handle much of the course sales in Russia. Neighbours claimed she frequently appeared drunk despite presenting herself as ageless online.
Prosecutors in Russia have already blocked some of Lukyanova's websites as illegal, but she reportedly set up new ones and continued to sell her courses, priced at between 9,000 roubles (£82) and 17,000 roubles (£155).
Story: NewsX