Putin pardons blogger Lerchek with stage four cancer
Mother of four Valeria Chekalina was convicted of fraud. Two days passed between her petition for clemency and Putin's decision.
Valeria Chekalina. Photo: Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Russian President Vladimir Putin has pardoned blogger Valeria Chekalina (Lerchek).
Valeria Chekalina was featured on Forbes' list of the highest-earning Russian bloggers, with about 10 million followers on Instagram. She began blogging after giving birth to twins in 2016, posting content about family and a healthy lifestyle. Chekalina regularly hosted giveaways for her followers. She gave away money, smartphones, cars, and even housing in Moscow.
In 2023, Lerchek, along with Artem Chekalin, to whom she was married at the time, was accused of tax evasion and money laundering.
In February 2026, the blogger gave birth to her fourth child, and in March, her partner announced that she had been diagnosed with cancer.
In April 2026, Artem Chekalin was sentenced to seven years in prison. In July, Valeria Chekalina received a five-year suspended sentence and a fine of approximately $9 million on charges of illegal fund transfers abroad.
Chekalina has stage four cancer.