By Estrella Ferretti
Venezuelan influencer Sascha Patricia Barboza Schmidt, better known as Sascha Fitness, has found herself at the center of controversy in Colombia due to the marketing of her products as dietary supplements without the necessary health registration. The National Institute for Food and Drug Surveillance (Invima) of Colombia has issued multiple health warnings about the risks these products pose to consumer health, as they have not been evaluated for quality, safety, and efficacy.
The products from the Hydrolyzed – Sascha Fitness Colombia brand, which include proteins, collagen, vitamins, and amino acids, promise to offer numerous benefits for users’ physical and nutritional well-being. However, Invima has found that these products lack health registrations in the dietary supplement category, as they claim on their labels. Furthermore, important details such as their composition, as well as the conditions of storage, transport, and distribution, remain unknown.
Sascha Fitness has responded to these accusations, asserting that she holds all necessary permissions and registrations from Invima for marketing her products in Colombia. She claims that the irregularities could stem from the black market or product counterfeiting, and that the legal importation of her products through her official distributor is compliant. She has also stated that adjustments have been made to the product labeling in accordance with food categorization.
Despite this, Invima has reiterated its stance and indicated that it will continue to collaborate with local health authorities to investigate and take necessary measures if any risks to the population are identified. The agency has also advised the public to refrain from purchasing products from this brand and to discontinue their use immediately if they are currently consuming them.
The controversy has also affected the influencer’s family, who are being questioned about the source of the funds they manage. It has been revealed that Sascha Fitness’s father-in-law and husband are linked to a company accused of corruption and overpricing in the construction of stadiums for the Copa América 2007 in Venezuela. Additionally, it has been discovered that they hold shares in other companies registered in tax havens and in the United States.
Sascha Fitness is a well-known content creator with over five million followers on Instagram and more than one million on Twitter. She promotes a healthy lifestyle based on exercise and balanced nutrition and is also the author of several books on nutrition and fitness. Her personal brand has expanded across several Latin American countries, where she markets her products.
The BCAA products from Sascha Fitness, according to her distributors, are dietary supplements containing branched-chain amino acids, which are essential for protein synthesis and muscle metabolism. The products are available in powdered form with various natural flavors, including lime-lemon, mango-coconut, pineapple, piña colada, watermelon, and grape. They are intended to be consumed dissolved in water before, during, or after physical training.
These products are marketed as sources of energy, recovery, and muscle protection. According to the official website of Sascha Fitness Colombia, the products offer benefits such as preventing muscle catabolism, enhancing endurance and physical performance, promoting fat burning, and stimulating protein synthesis. Additionally, it is claimed that the products contain digestive enzymes that help improve digestion and prevent stomach discomfort.
However, Invima has found that these products do not possess the necessary health registrations to validate their status as dietary supplements. This indicates they have not undergone the quality and safety checks mandated by Colombian regulations for such products. Furthermore, Invima has noted that the actual composition of these products is unknown and whether they contain ingredients that could cause adverse effects or interactions with other medications.
For this reason, Invima has issued a specific health alert regarding Sascha Fitness’s BCAA products and warned the public about the fraudulent marketing of these items. Invima has also urged retailers to refrain from distributing and selling these illegal products, as their sale may lead to safety-related health measures. The agency recommends that consumers always verify the health registration and authenticity of the products they purchase.
Controversial Family
Waldo Enrique Ordoñez Matheus
Waldo Enrique Ordoñez Matheus, Sascha Barboza Schmidt’s father-in-law, is the owner of Pavimentadora Onica S.A., a company dedicated to civil construction in Venezuela. The company was accused of corruption and overpricing in the construction of stadiums for the Copa América 2007, particularly the Estadio Metropolitano de Mérida. Due to this case, Ordoñez Matheus was issued a travel ban on May 4, 2022, along with the then-president of the Venezuelan Olympic Committee, Eduardo Esteban Álvarez Camacho, his governmental partner at the time. His son, Andrés Eduardo Ordoñez Matos, who is married to Sascha Barboza, is also a shareholder in Pavimentadora Onica S.A.
Andrés Eduardo Ordoñez Matos holds a degree in administration and international trade and is involved in business related to his wife’s personal brand. Alongside her, he is a shareholder in several companies registered in tax havens and the United States, such as ThirtyFitness Investments LTD. and NutriCorpLLC. The companies are under investigation by Colombian authorities, who suspect they may be linked to funds originating from Venezuelan corruption.
ThirtyFitness Investments LTD. is a company registered in Barbados, a tax haven known for its opacity and low taxation. This company appeared in the Offshore Leaks, a document leak revealing the existence of thousands of businesses and individuals using such jurisdictions to conceal assets and evade taxes. The shareholders of this company are Sascha Barboza and her husband Andrés Eduardo Ordoñez Matos, who use it to manage funds related to the influencer’s brand.
NutriCorpLLC is another company owned by Sascha Barboza and her husband Andrés Eduardo Ordoñez Matos, located in Florida, USA. This company deals with the import, distribution, and sale of Sascha Fitness products in the U.S. market. These products include dietary supplements, sportswear, accessories, and books. According to the official website of Sascha Fitness USA, these products are backed by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), the regulatory agency for food and drugs in the United States.
Both Waldo Enrique Ordoñez Matheus and Andrés Eduardo Ordoñez Matos are under investigation by Colombian authorities regarding the source of the funds they manage and have invested in marketing Sascha Fitness products in Colombia.
Influencer Sascha Fitness has also faced harsh criticism on social media from users accusing her of being a “fraud.” One such critic is Cucalina Robollo, who identifies as a Venezuelan Twitter user who has repeatedly denounced the shady dealings of Sascha Fitness’s father-in-law and husband. According to her, the influencer has built her business with money derived from corruption and price inflation in the construction of stadiums in Venezuela.
Cucalina Robollo has also claimed that the influencer’s marriage is riddled with infidelities and that she only stays with her husband for economic interest. She has stated that she possesses documents proving her claims and shared them with journalist Angie Pérez, who has also questioned Sascha Fitness.
Another user expressing discontent with Sascha Fitness is Antonino Falcone. He claims that Sascha Fitness was never a trainer and merely repeats what she reads without any studies or experience. He has also questioned the quality and legality of her products, stating that it was always known that her husband was behind everything and that she emerged from nothing.
Label Changes
In light of the health alerts issued by Invima, Sascha Fitness has announced that it is making adjustments to its product labeling to align them with food categorization rather than dietary supplements. According to the marketer, this action is due to changes in Invima’s requirements for obtaining health registration, claiming that her products already had all necessary permissions and registrations for sale in Colombia.
However, this explanation has not convinced many users and experts, who argue that the label change is a strategy to evade responsibility and oversight from Invima. They contend that Sascha Fitness’s products do not meet the quality and safety standards required for food products and may pose health risks to consumers. Furthermore, they have indicated that the label changes could create confusion and mislead the public, as the supposed nutritional benefits of the products continue to be promoted.
