Roman Abramovich or the "mysterious patron": it has become known who could have paid off the 175 million debt of cancer patient Lerchek
It has become known who may have paid off the 175 million ruble debt owed by cancer patient Lerchek. Previously, a hypothesis surfaced online that it could have been a Russian oligarch or some influential patron of hers.
Lerchek's repayment of her tax debt was recently revealed. The court then stated that the funds were contributed by "a certain individual," whose name was not disclosed. The blogger's representatives also declined to disclose his name. Following this, speculation began rife on Telegram channels about who might have paid for Lerchek. Some suggested that a "mysterious patron" might have done the deed, while Roman Abramovich and Alisher Usmanov were also mentioned. The latter theory, in particular, was promoted by the Telegram channel "Antiglyanets."
But in reality, the 33-year-old blogger's debts may have been paid off by her ex-husband, Artyom Chekalin, who is currently involved in a criminal case involving financial fraud alongside her. According to Super.ru, Chekalin recently sold their former family home, leading online commentators to believe he was the "anonymous" individual who paid off his ex-wife's tax debts.
The property in question is a 400-square-meter mansion in the elite Ilyinka Lanehouse cottage community, featuring a custom design. Valeria (the blogger's real name) and Artyom Chekalin lived there with their children before their divorce. The property was registered to Chekalin, and he continued to live there after his separation from his wife.
According to the resource, the house was put up for sale in November 2025 for 225 million rubles, and a buyer was recently found. Chekalin has not officially confirmed that he shared the proceeds with Lerchek and that she was able to pay off the debt. However, social media users have linked the two events.
In early March, it was announced that Lerchek had been diagnosed with stage four stomach cancer with metastases in her spine, legs, and lungs. She was admitted to the oncology intensive care unit immediately after the birth of her fourth child. The newborn's father, the blogger's boyfriend, Luis Squicciarini, announced on social media that Chekalina had already begun chemotherapy and radiation therapy. In her first video after the diagnosis was confirmed, she addressed her subscribers, declaring that she "really wants to live."
Following Lerchek's illness and the resulting public outcry, the court suspended the criminal case against her, and the blogger was also released from house arrest so she could continue treatment. State Duma Deputy Nina Ostanina proposed an amnesty for seriously ill women convicted of minor crimes, a proposal dubbed "Lerchek's Law."
As a reminder, Lerchek and Artyom Chekalin are accused of illegally transferring over 250 million rubles abroad, earned from the sale of fitness marathons, using forged documents. However, the resulting tax debt was officially registered to Valeria, as the main income from the marathons was channeled through her sole proprietorship. The Chekalins were married for 12 years and divorced during the investigation; they have three children together.
The Chekalins face up to 10 years in prison. Their former business partner, Roman Vishnyak, previously plea bargained with investigators and was sentenced to two and a half years in prison.
Photos: im__lu_/Instagram, lerchekfamily_life/Instagram**
