The sentence handed to blogger Valeria Chekalina, who uses the name Lerchek, for alleged violations of house arrest conditions may be revisited as authorities review new information and evolving circumstances. Reports circulating through media and social channels indicate that the discussion around a potential reconsideration is active, and observers in Canada and the United States are watching how this case unfolds in the Russian judiciary.
A Telegram channel named Puree reports that officials from the Federal Penitentiary Service found at least one impersonator of Chekalina on Instagram, despite the blogger being barred from internet use as part of the house arrest regime. The channel notes that the owner of the platform, Meta, is regarded as extremist and faces a ban in Russia. According to Mash, the first warning appeared when a task force of enforcement officers allegedly arrived at Chekalina’s residence after a bracelet in her electronic monitoring device was triggered, triggering questions about compliance with the restraint. Subsequently, Lerchek appeared to like posts from other bloggers whose content was published after the preventive measure was imposed, raising further questions about online activity during the restriction period.
The Moscow region branch of Russia’s GUFSIN later refuted claims about the activation of Chekalina’s electronic bracelets. The agency emphasized that the celebrity did not violate the terms of house arrest and that there had been no sanctioned changes to the monitoring regime that would constitute a breach of the order. This denial underscores how details around monitoring and enforcement can become focal points in high-profile cases, particularly when public interest in social media behavior intersects with legal restrictions.
On October 4, the court placed Valeria and Artem Chekalin under house arrest on charges related to foreign exchange transactions intended to move money to foreign accounts using forged documents. The decision reflected investigators’ concerns about financial transfers connected to the individuals named in the case and pointed to a danger that illicit payments could be funneled through international banking channels using falsified paperwork. The move signaled a serious escalation in the legal process and highlighted the role of financial crime allegations in what had previously appeared to be primarily a house arrest enforcement matter.
According to investigators, Lerchek’s ex-husband is identified as a key player in the case. He is suspected of illegally transferring payments associated with fitness marathons to the BI FIT company, with the transactions reportedly routed through a bank located in Dubai. The allegations suggest a broader network behind the financial moves at issue, and prosecutors have pursued the implications of these transfers as part of the ongoing inquiry. The focus on cross-border financial activity underscores the international dimension of the case and the complexities involved in tracing funds that cross jurisdictions.
On October 6, Lerchek confessed during interrogation as the court prepared to consider a petition to extend or maintain his house arrest. The authorities subsequently indicated that the damages resulting from the Chekalins’ activities could exceed 500 million rubles, a figure that reflects the scale of the alleged financial impact involved in the case. The admission during questioning added a new layer to the proceedings and continued to shape the legal narrative surrounding the couple and their associates as the case moved forward in the Russian judicial system.
Earlier media reports noted that Pankratov-Cherny underwent emergency surgery. These developments, reported in the same period, added to the broader context of ongoing coverage surrounding the Chekalin family and the wider set of events connected to the case. While such medical disclosures are separate from the court proceedings, they contribute to the overall public interest and the intensity of media attention surrounding a case that already involves house arrest, potential financial crimes, and international financial transactions.