Bloggers Valeria and Artem Chekalina, against whom a case was opened for non-payment of 300 million rubles. taxes, will be under house arrest, RIA Novosti reports, citing a source. Telegram channel “112” also reported that the spouses had taken a written undertaking not to leave.
“At the time of the investigation of the criminal case, he was chosen a measure of restraint in the form of a written undertaking not to leave and proper behavior,” the source said. According to the Telegram channel, on the morning of March 7, security forces came to the Chekalins’ townhouse in Krasnogorsk. In the near future, the couple planned to go abroad.
The GSU of the Investigative Committee of Moscow opened a case under Part 2 of Art. 198, part 5 of Art. 33, part 2 of Art. 198 of the Criminal Code of Russia (evasion and complicity in tax evasion from an individual). The article provides for a maximum penalty of up to three years in prison.
According to the investigation, from July 2020 to July 2022, Chekalina, being an individual entrepreneur, used simplified taxation and did not switch to the general system, although her income exceeded the allowable limit of 150 million rubles. in year.
Receiving income from fitness marathons and not wanting to pay VAT and personal income tax, she attracted her husband and other relatives as accomplices, according to the investigation. As a result, Chekalina did not pay 300 million rubles.
“I can only say that investigative actions are being carried out, charges have not yet been brought,” lawyer Mikhail Mushailov told RBC.
RBC turned to Yulia Ivanova, senior assistant to the head of the Main Investigation Department of the Russian Investigative Committee for Moscow, for comment.
Valeria Chekalina, known by the nickname Lerchek, has about 10 million followers on Instagram (owned by the Meta corporation, whose activities are banned in Russia as extremist).
