Lerchek: Why She Returned
In 2023–2024, Valeria Chekalina's (Lerchek) name resonated throughout the country — but not in the way she would have liked. A tax scandal, criminal prosecution, account freezes, public repentance — all of this put an end to her career as the "queen of desire marathons" and "infogypsy #1." It seemed her time was over.
And then something incredible happened: in early 2025, Lerchek announced that she had been diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer with metastases in her spine. The hate instantly turned to sympathy — at least from part of the audience. And after a course of chemotherapy and surgery, she began to return to the public eye.
But she did not return as before. Instead of "desire marathons," webinars about money, and infoproducts, Lerchek started filming... duets and reactions. A format that used to be secondary to her suddenly became primary.
Why? What changed? And how did the illness affect her content strategy?
Part 1: Lerchek before her return — who she is and where the hate came from
From fitness blogger to infobusiness queen
Valeria Chekalina began her career as a fitness blogger. Her bright appearance, charisma, and ability to "sell a dream" quickly attracted an audience. Over time, she switched to "desire marathons" and infoproducts — courses on how to become successful, rich, and happy.
At its peak, her business generated billions. Her previous cosmetic brand brought in at least 110 million rubles a year, and并行 projects reached billion-ruble turnovers. She was bathed in luxury: expensive bags, furs, travel, elite real estate.
Tax scandal and "cancellation"
In 2023, a scandal erupted: Lerchek and her then-husband Artyom Chekalin found themselves at the center of a criminal case for tax evasion. The sums amounted to hundreds of millions of rubles. Accounts were frozen, and property was threatened with confiscation.
Public repentance, interviews, tears on camera — all of this evoked a mixed reaction. Some sympathized, others gloated. But most importantly, her reputation was destroyed. Brands refused to cooperate, subscribers left, and the infobusiness collapsed.
Divorce and new romance
Against the backdrop of criminal prosecution, Lerchek divorced her husband and began a relationship with dancer Luis Squicciarini. This also added fuel to the fire: subscribers accused her of "abandoning her husband in trouble" and "starting a new life while she had problems with the law."
And just when it seemed things couldn't get any worse, another piece of news broke: cancer.
Part 2: Illness as a turning point
A diagnosis that changed everything
In early 2025, Lerchek announced that she had been diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer with metastases in her spine and other organs. This was a shock to everyone — both her haters and her fans.
How could a person who had recently sold "recipes for happiness" suddenly face death? How could a blogger, accused of greed and hypocrisy, suddenly fight for her life?
Treatment: chemotherapy, surgery, rehabilitation
Lerchek is undergoing treatment at the Blokhin Cancer Center — one of the leading ones in Russia. She has undergone several courses of chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy, and spinal surgery.
Due to metastases, one of her vertebrae was destroyed, so doctors had to strengthen the spine with special bone cement. Her hair had to be shaved due to the aggressive treatment.
"I know there are a lot of different rumors. It’s morally difficult for me to live and receive treatment. I show everything as it is. Here is the IV drip, the medicine goes through the cancer port and enters the central vein. Here is my bed, here is Luis's. We stay here overnight because the last pump will drip for almost 24 hours," Lerchek shared.
Scandals surrounding the illness: whether they believe it or not
Paradoxically, even the news of cancer did not stop the hate. Part of the audience continues to doubt the seriousness of the diagnosis, believing that Lerchek is feigning illness to avoid criminal liability.
The reason for the doubts was her appearances at a fitness club during treatment. In May 2026, a video appeared online showing Lerchek exercising with a trainer, lifting dumbbells, and looking cheerful. This caused a new wave of discussions.
Fitness blogger Alina Raskovskaya, who filmed this video, expressed doubts:
"I didn't plan to meet Lerchek at the club specifically — our visits coincided by chance. I was surprised to see Valeria, because she had talked about undergoing another course of chemotherapy. The video did not show Chekalina's face, but she was exercising with a trainer and using strength training."
In response, Lerchek's fiancé, Luis Squicciarini, explained that the training is part of the rehabilitation recommended by doctors and is carried out under the strict supervision of specialists. He emphasized that modern treatment methods allow many patients, even with severe diagnoses, to maintain a relatively normal lifestyle.
To finally answer the skeptics, Lerchek even published medical documents confirming the diagnosis.
Otar Kushanashvili, who himself survived two clinical deaths due to oncology, called for mercy:
"If she has cancer, and with metastases, I beg those who are in charge to stop justice and let her get treatment and live. I appeal to you for mercy."
Part 3: Why duets and reactions?
And now we come to the main question: why did Lerchek, upon returning to the public eye, choose the format of duets and reactions, and not the usual "desire marathons" or educational webinars?
Reason #1: Inability to create "heavy" content
Cancer and chemotherapy are not just a diagnosis; they are a tremendous strain on the body. Lerchek simply does not have the physical strength to produce the volume of content she used to create.
Our Services for Streamers
Our Services for Content Creators
