Instablogers Chekalins were accused of non-payment of taxes for 300 million rubles

"A criminal case has been opened against Valeria Chekalina and her husband Artem Chekalin on the facts of evasion and complicity in tax evasion from an individual", - the message on the Telegram channel of the department says.

In particular, investigators are investigating a criminal case on the grounds of crimes corresponding to Part 2 of Article 198, Part 5 of Article 33, Part 2 of Article 198 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation — Evasion and complicity in tax evasion from an individual.

According to investigators, from July 2020 to July 2022, Chekalina, having the status of an individual entrepreneur, applied a simplified taxation system with an allowable limit of 150 million rubles per year for the provision of services for the implementation of fitness marathons. It is noted that during this time she received income "in a significantly larger amount", but at the same time she did not switch to the general taxation system and did not pay the corresponding VAT and personal income tax, attracting her spouse and relatives for this. Thus, as noted in the press service of the capital's IC, the blogger illegally crushed business and evaded paying tax in the amount of more than 300 million rubles.

As part of the investigation of the criminal case, the staff of the Investigative Committee, together with the GUEB and the PC of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, conducted urgent searches at the place of residence of the defendants in the case.

"Currently, the necessary investigative actions and operational search measures are being carried out aimed at establishing the involvement of the defendants and their accomplices in the commission of other economic crimes", - the press service of the department summed up.

According to the Telegram channel Shot, the annual income of only one of the companies of a married couple of bloggers is 3 billion rubles.

"According to our data, the annual income of only one of the Chekalins' companies — BI FIT — is about 3,000,000,000 rubles (officially). It was through this company that bloggers sold online marathons to create an "ideal body" and cosmetics", - Shot notes.

In addition, on the eve of the day, Chekalina published a video in which she told about the pleasant impression of the trip to the tax office and the level of service, and in the evening security forces arrived to search her.

According to Kommersant, 10.4 million users have subscribed to Valeria Chekalina's Instagram page*, and 4 million users have subscribed to her husband Artem's page. In case of proof of guilt, bloggers face up to three years in prison.

Facebook Instagram is recognized as an extremist organization in Russia, and its social networks Instagram and Facebook are banned in the country.