Gonzalo Lira foolishly criticized the Ukrainian government while living in the lion’s jaw, in Karkov.
He even prophesied his own disappearance and death on his Twitter feed.
Despite his foolhardy behavior, the US is still guilty of the torture, extortion and murder of an American journalist by the US-financed Zelensky government.
Have any details emerged of the blackmail, torture and murder of Gonzalo Lira in Ukrainian custody?
Searching the web
by Grok 4
(henrymakow.com)
Background on Gonzalo Lira’s Case
Gonzalo Lira, a 55-year-old Chilean-American journalist and YouTuber known online as “Coach Red Pill,” was a vocal critic of the Ukrainian government during the Russia-Ukraine war. He resided in Kharkiv, Ukraine, with his Ukrainian wife and children, and produced content accusing Western media and governments of bias toward Ukraine while highlighting alleged corruption and neo-Nazi elements in Ukrainian forces. Ukrainian authorities viewed his work as justifying Russian aggression, violating Article 436-2 of Ukraine’s criminal code, which prohibits such content under martial law.
Lira was first arrested by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) in May 2023. He was released on $8,000 bail and placed under house arrest but was rearrested in July 2023 after attempting to flee to Hungary on a motorcycle to seek political asylum.
He died on January 11, 2024, in a Kharkiv hospital while in custody, officially from complications of pneumonia and sepsis. His father, Gonzalo Lira Sr., and supporters have alleged mistreatment, neglect, and deliberate harm by Ukrainian authorities, with the U.S. Embassy accused of inaction despite repeated pleas.
Allegations of Blackmail and Extortion
Lira’s father and associates, including international relations analyst Mark Sleboda, have claimed Ukrainian officials extorted large sums from Lira during his detention.
Specific details include: Demands for $70,000 to secure his release or better treatment, paid via cryptocurrency from his Patreon account (which held six-figure donations from supporters).
In a pre-arrest message and videos from August 2023, Lira described guards forcing him to reveal passwords through coercion, leading to the theft of his savings.
Biologist Jean-François Gariépy, who spoke to Lira via Zoom shortly before his final arrest, recounted Lira’s accounts of “physical torture unto his nails and eyes” to extract financial information, leaving him in a state of extreme fear and paranoia.
These claims portray the extortion as systematic, with funds allegedly funneled to SBU-linked individuals. No independent financial records have been publicly verified, and Ukrainian officials have not addressed these specifics.
Allegations of Torture
Multiple sources describe physical and psychological abuse in Lira’s initial and subsequent detentions:In May 2023, after his first release, Lira posted videos claiming he was beaten by inmates (allegedly at guards’ direction), sleep-deprived, and had his arms “twisted the wrong way around at the shoulder.”
He described “press huts” (overcrowded cells used for intimidation) where he endured four such sessions.
Ukrainian MP Alexander Dubinsky, himself detained on treason charges, stated in November 2024 that he has “irrefutable evidence” of Lira’s torture in Kharkiv’s pre-trial facility, including broken ribs from beatings mirroring his own experiences.
Dubinsky alleged SBU officers used similar methods, threatening to “take out his eye with a toothpick.” Lira’s father reported his son was held incommunicado for 8 months and 11 days, denied family contact, and subjected to ongoing abuse. A consular visit in November 2023 reportedly confirmed broken ribs and untreated double pneumonia, with prison staff concealing his condition. Gariépy’s account details Lira’s visible trauma: chain-smoking, shifty demeanor, and reduced “humanity,” attributing it to months of guard-inflicted torture.
The SBU has denied all torture claims, with spokesperson Sarah Ashton-Cirillo (a U.S. expatriate in Ukraine’s forces) calling them “fabricated” for sympathy. Ashton-Cirillo claimed she spoke to Lira post-arrest and found him “in good health and treated extremely fairly.”
No forensic autopsy has been released, and independent verification remains absent amid the politicized context.
Circumstances of Death and Claims of Murder
Lira’s death is officially attributed to medical neglect rather than direct violence: He suffered from pneumonia, exacerbated by sepsis and edema (fluid buildup), which he detailed in a smuggled letter complaining of ignored symptoms and withheld medication.
Supporters, including Tucker Carlson and Elon Musk, frame it as “murder” by the Zelensky regime, citing U.S. complicity through inaction.
Carlson highlighted Biden administration “support” for the imprisonment, while Musk demanded explanations from Zelensky. Russian officials, including Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, blamed the White House for enabling the “torture that resulted in [his] death.”
In August 2025, Dubinsky reported the SBU registered a murder investigation into Lira’s case under judicial pressure, though SBU head Vasily Malyuk rejected torture/extortion acknowledgments. Lira Sr. accused both Ukrainian and U.S. authorities of negligence, noting the embassy ignored pleas despite Lira’s dual citizenship. The U.S. State Department confirmed the death but offered only condolences, no further comment.
Critics like journalist Cathy Young argue the narrative exploits Lira’s death for anti-Ukraine propaganda, emphasizing his pro-Russian disinformation (e.g., denying the Bucha massacre). Ukrainian sources, including Detector Media, label torture claims as unproven fakes.Broader Context and Lack of AccountabilityAs of December 2025, no trials or sanctions have resulted from Lira’s case. The U.S. under Biden provided no intervention, drawing ire from figures like Rubio (now Secretary of State nominee).
Recent X posts, including from retired DoD counterintelligence sources, urge investigations into SBU “political dungeons” and ties to Zelensky aide Andriy Yermak. With potential U.S. policy shifts under Trump, calls for transparency persist, linking Lira’s fate to 30,000 alleged political prisoners in Ukraine.
Aspect Supporting Claims (Pro-Lira Sources) Counter-Claims (Ukrainian/U.S. Official Sources) Blackmail $70K+ extorted via crypto; Patreon funds stolen under duress (Lira Sr., Gariépy, Sleboda).
No response; dismissed as unproven sympathy ploy (Ashton-Cirillo). Torture Beatings, broken ribs, sleep deprivation, threats (Dubinsky’s evidence, Lira videos, consular notes). Fabricated; Lira healthy post-arrest (SBU, Ashton-Cirillo). Death Neglect/murder via untreated illness after abuse (Carlson, Musk, Zakharova). Natural causes (pneumonia/sepsis); medical care attempted (Ukrainian reports). U.S. Role Embassy ignored pleas; complicit in regime support (Lira Sr., TASS). Condolences offered; no further details out of respect (State Dept.).
The case remains divisive, with pro-Russian outlets amplifying abuse narratives and Western mainstream sources focusing on Lira’s propaganda role. Independent probes, like those urged by The Bulwark, could clarify details but face wartime barriers.
Source:
https://henrymakow.com/2025/12/gonzalo-lira-tortured-telling-truth.html
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