Authorities have charged the spouse of blogger Elena Blinovskaya, named Alexei, with tax evasion and money laundering. The information was shared by the telegraph channel of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, and subsequent official releases have echoed these claims. The case centers on alleged schemes that obscured true income from a project associated with Blinovskaya, triggering a broad inquiry into financial irregularities tied to the blogger’s activities.
According to the agency, Blinovskaya is alleged to have underestimated earnings by employing a strategy described as a “split” of the business, a tactic claimed to have concealed income and facilitated tax underreporting. Prosecutors assert that taxes were not paid on sums exceeding 918 million rubles over the 2019–2021 period. The investigators also indicate that Blinovskaya included her husband and other unnamed individuals as accomplices in connection with these financial schemes. The scope of the allegations suggests a coordinated effort to manipulate reporting of revenue and to coordinate with associates who are now under scrutiny as potential participants in related offenses.
In the near term, investigators plan to request a restraining measure against Blinovskaya from the court, as the case expands to consider additional charges. It has been determined that the defendants and their alleged collaborators were involved in other economic crimes beyond the initial tax and laundering accusations, which broadens the seriousness and potential penalties of the proceedings. The evolving nature of the investigation indicates a multi-faceted inquiry, crossing into related financial misconduct and the possible concealment of assets tied to the operations at the heart of the matter.
Earlier, Alexander Bastrykin, the chairman of Russia’s Investigative Committee, stated that the founder of the Desire Marathon project, Elena Blinovskaya, is under criminal investigation. The remarks emphasized a substantial discrepancy in reported income, highlighting a figure in the realm of tens of millions of rubles versus the claimed hundreds of millions. This comment underscored the gravity with which authorities view the alleged financial irregularities and signaled a focused probe into the creators and executives behind the venture.
Previously, Vitaly Borodin, who leads anti-corruption efforts and oversees related security matters, reportedly raised the issue with the Prosecutor General’s Office, requesting the freezing of Blinovskaya’s accounts and social networks. It was additionally reported that a hearing at the Moscow City Court would address a petition related to the blogger’s house arrest on a specified date. The developments reflect continuing judicial interest in constraining movements and access to digital platforms as investigators gather evidence and assess the potential risk of witness interference or asset dissipation during the investigation. The continued legal process will hinge on the presentation of financial records, communications, and other materials that could tie the defendants to the described schemes and establish a clear link between the alleged actions and the statutory provisions invoked in the case.