Lerchek's Defense Appeals 5-Year Suspended Sentence

The defense of blogger Valeria Chekalina (Lerchek) filed an appeal against the five-year suspended sentence.

Consensus

The defense of Valeria Chekalyan (Lerchек) filed an appeal against her sentence.
Chekalyan was sentenced to five years of suspended imprisonment.
The court imposed a fine of 765 million rubles.
The court prohibited Chekalyan from promoting her brand online for three years.
The defense claimed they were not provided with the verdict text within the five-day period required by the Criminal Procedure Code.
The case involved illegal currency operations involving transfers to accounts in the UAE.
The case was previously suspended due to Chekalyan's cancer diagnosis.
The case was resumed after a medical evaluation confirmed she could participate in proceedings.
The prosecution expressed disagreement with the verdict and filed a brief appeal.
Chekalyan did not admit guilt.

The Investigative Committee opened another criminal case against unspecified individuals and separated it into a separate proceeding after searches at Chekalyan's residence in summer 2025. The defense believes there were no co-conspirators, and the move was intentional. — vm
Chekalyan's former husband Artem Chekalin and their business partner Roman Vishnyak were also tried in the same case and received sentences of seven years and 2.5 years in prison, respectively. — kommerstant
The court prohibited Chekalyan from engaging in professional online activities, changing her address without notification, and required monthly reporting to authorities. — vedomosti
The court changed Chekalyan's preventive measure from house arrest to a ban on certain actions, allowing her to travel without special permission. — fontanka