Lercek was urgently hospitalized. What is known

Blogger Valeria Chekalina, known as Lerchek, was urgently hospitalized on the morning of November 5. On this day, the Moscow City Court is due to consider appeals against the verdict in the case of illegal currency transactions.

According to the lawyer, the blogger needed a medical procedure, so she will not be able to attend the meeting. Earlier, Chekalina reported on the progression of stomach cancer and asked to be allowed to travel to China for treatment. What is known about her condition, the trial and the prospects of traveling abroad is in the Izvestia article.

Emergency hospitalization of Lercek

On the morning of November 5, Chekalina was urgently sent to the hospital, as a source from her entourage told Izvestia. According to him, the blogger had to undergo a medical procedure, after which "theoretically she can be released." Subsequently, the information was confirmed by the blogger's lawyer Konstantin Tretyakov.

It is not specified which procedure the blogger was supposed to perform and whether the hospitalization is directly related to the progression of cancer.

Health of Lerchek

Chekalina was diagnosed with stage four stomach cancer. In October, she reported that the results of the examination showed a re-growth of metastases. According to the blogger, tumor foci were found in the adrenal glands and ovaries, as well as again in the lungs.

Her ex-husband Artyom Chekalin also spoke about the blogger's difficult health. According to him, Valeria was in severe pain and practically did not get out of bed. Later, her current partner Luis Squicciarini talked about the pain in her legs and the examinations that the blogger underwent. In the courtroom on October 21, he stated that Chekalina had been "practically not getting up" for the last month and a half.

On Tuesday, November 3, Chekalina posted on social media about the continuation of chemotherapy at Moscow City Clinical Hospital No. 62. According to her, after an examination at the N. N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, she was sent there for treatment under the compulsory Medical Insurance policy.

Lercek expects to receive treatment in China

Against the background of the deterioration of Chekalin's condition, she is considering the possibility of continuing treatment in China. According to her, doctors recommended exploring the option of CAR-T-cell therapy. This method refers to cellular immunotherapy: the patient's own T-lymphocytes are used for treatment, which are specially modified so that they recognize and attack tumor cells. On October 26, Viktor Dugin, the blogger's lawyer, announced that Lercek had applied to the court to allow her to travel to China to continue treatment for stomach cancer.

However, an official invitation from the Chinese clinic was required to arrange the trip. A source from Izvestia reported on October 26 that Chekalina was still awaiting an official invitation. At the moment, the final decision on Chekalina's departure to China has not been announced.

Chekalin announced the deterioration of blogger Lerchek's condition. The main thing

The Lercek case on money transfer to the UAE

The judicial restrictions that prevent Chekalina from traveling abroad are related to the criminal case of illegal currency transactions. The defendants in the proceedings were the blogger herself, her ex-husband Artem Chekalin and their business partner Roman Vishnyak.

According to investigators, from September 2021 to February 2022, when selling fitness marathons, the defendants transferred more than 250 million rubles using forged documents. The case was investigated under Article 193.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation — on the commission of currency transactions for the transfer of funds using forged documents.

On April 13, Chekalin was sentenced to seven years in a penal colony. In addition, he will have to pay 194.5 million rubles in fines. At the same time, the defense announced its intention to appeal the verdict against Chekalin. Later, the defense released a video message recorded by Chekalin before the trial, in which he stated that he considers himself innocent.

Verdict and appeal

On July 31, the Gagarin Court of Moscow sentenced Chekalina to five years of probation and a fine of 765 million rubles. In the case file on August 6, it was noted that the blogger, who received a suspended sentence and a fine, would remain banned from certain actions until the verdict entered into force. Later, the prosecutor's office appealed Chekalina's verdict.

A criminal case on the withdrawal of more than 250 million rubles for forged documents against the blogger was sent to the Moscow City Court on October 16 to consider the defense's complaints and appeal against the verdict.

Initially, the consideration of appeals was scheduled for November 17. However, the date was then postponed to November 5, as the lawyer explained this by Chekalina's serious state of health and the need for medical treatment abroad. According to him, the defense asked to consider the complaints earlier so as not to delay the decision on a possible trip to China. The meeting of the Moscow City Court should be held behind closed doors.