April 24, 2025

"Come Work in Ta... Tatarstan?"


"Come Work in Ta... Tatarstan?"
Martin Ku (far left) and Nicolas Grosman (front) with three “trainees” and another employee of the “Start” program. martinku98, Instagram.

Two former contestants from the Argentinian edition of the reality show Big Brother were accused of promoting a human trafficking scheme in Tatarstan, Russia. The influencers’ Instagram ad promised young Argentinian women professional development and employment in the region.

Martin Ku and Nicolas Grosman, podcasters and contestants of the 2023-2024 season of Argentinian Big Brother, surprised their followers when they uploaded a video of them playing in the snow. The influencers asked each other between laughs, “What are you doing here in Russia?”

Shortly afterward, Ku and Grosman made an announcement. Ku, holding luggage at an airport, asked, “Have you seen that there is an international employment program with a salary that ranges between 860 and 1000 USD? What are you waiting for? Let’s go together!” Then, Grosman said, “If you are a girl between 18 and 22 years old and want to work abroad, listen to this proposition that you will love.” 

The Big Brother alumni followed up with, “We are here in the heart of...” and joked about struggling to pronounce “Tatarstan.” The influencers did not name their specific location inside the republic. The video shows the alleged headquarters of a company called “Start.” According to Ku and Grosman, the enterprise offers 25,322 job openings in catering, hospitality, production operations, assembly, and motorized transport. They said “Start” has 38 residencies for its workers and has invested $4 million in new residencies. The men also claimed the company offered health insurance and Russian language classes. Ku and Grosman also claimed “Start” has ties to embassies and consulates around the world. 

Grosman and Ku proceeded to interview two young girls from Uganda and one from Nigeria about their experiences with the company and Russia. Despite claiming to be an employment agency, all the interviewees allegedly working for the company appeared in plaid schoolgirl uniforms. 

The Argentine internet quickly accused the podcasters of promoting a human trafficking scheme. The ad disappeared from Instagram not long after it was published. In a statement, Ku and Grosman said Instagram had deleted their ad. The influencers denied being part of the company or knowing of any “irregularities.”

The Instagram account promoted by Ku and Grosman, start_program_latam, is not verified. While the Argentinian influencers' pages sport over 500,000 followers each, the page for the Russian company only has 601 followers. Just like in Ku and Grosman’s interviews, the page shows its “trainees” in schoolgirl outfits.

Due to the scandal, Ku was fired from the largest TV channel in Argentina, Telefe. Anti-cult activist Pablo Salum has filed a lawsuit against both ex-Big Brother participants for promoting a sex trafficking ring. On April 19, Argentine media revealed that the company Ku and Grosman promoted is linked to the Alabuga industrial complex. Alabuga Star, the facility owner, assembles drones used in Russia’s ongoing War on Ukraine. Workers in the factory have reported being on 15-hour-long shifts with minimal breaks. Minors are also suspected to be among the facility’s workers.

You can watch their ad here:

 

You Might Also Like

Finn-ancial Crisis?
  • April 14, 2025

Finn-ancial Crisis?

The Finnish parliament has passed a law forbidding Russians from owning real estate in the country.
Log Your Blog, or Else
  • April 06, 2025

Log Your Blog, or Else

Russian influencers could face consequences if they fail to register with the state.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.
The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
White Magic

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.
Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.
Moscow and Muscovites

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 
How Russia Got That Way

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
Chekhov Bilingual

Chekhov Bilingual

Some of Chekhov's most beloved stories, with English and accented Russian on facing pages throughout. 
A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955