Elena Blinovskaya, the creator of the "Wish Marathon," whose 45th birthday falls on August 25, will celebrate it in Correctional Colony No. 1 of the Vladimir region. She celebrated her previous anniversary with great fanfare, spending 120 million rubles. Now, her life consists of sewing robes and a salary of 6,700 rubles a month, while her brand is being sold at auction, and her daughter suffers from a heart condition.

Blinovskaya's name became a household word after she transformed from a co-founder of a veterinary clinic into a marathon guru. The mother of many children from Yaroslavl, who conquered Moscow with her husband, promised subscribers the fulfillment of wishes, claiming that she had studied psychology for 10 years, although she never presented any diplomas. Tens of thousands of people signed up for her courses, bringing billions to the family. In 2021, her luxurious birthday was discussed, and in May 2022, there was a sold-out event at the VTB Arena, where she spent two hours talking about the power of secret requests to the Universe to an audience who paid between 10 and 30 thousand rubles for tickets.

The period of prosperity ended in the spring of 2023, when the Investigative Committee initiated a criminal case. Blinovskaya was accused of tax evasion and money laundering. After violating the terms of her house arrest, she ended up in a pre-trial detention center. In March 2025, she was sentenced to five years in a penal colony, and in October, the term was reduced by only six months. This is how Elena ended up in the colony, where she will spend her 45th birthday.

Children in the care of grandmothers

Blinovskaya's story caused a strong reaction. Even those who condemned her methods admitted that she did not pose a mortal danger to society, and the court was too harsh. Prokhor Chaliapin, for example, argued that bloggers who concealed taxes should be punished financially, with all their assets confiscated for the benefit of the state or orphanages, rather than being imprisoned, as they are not dangerous to society.

Elena asked to postpone the execution of the sentence until her daughter's 14th birthday, but the appeal was rejected. She begged the court not to deprive her children of their mother, promising to comply with all prescriptions and dedicate herself to their upbringing. She had not seen her daughter since she was three, and she would soon be six. Initially, the children stayed with their father, but in the spring of 2024, Alexey Blinovsky went to the SVO, and custody passed to the older generation.

Blinovskaya's mother, Nina Ostanina, did not hide her indignation when the court did not meet the blogger halfway. She revealed her granddaughter's diagnosis: "My daughter was born with a ventricular septal defect, with a sick heart. She lived her whole life. My granddaughter has the same. Her two holes in her heart were supposed to close. Only one closed. Because she suffers greatly for her mother. Draw your own conclusions. They are simply destroying her!"

Conditions in the colony

Elena Blinovskaya is serving her sentence in Correctional Colony No. 1 of the Vladimir region. In December, there were rumors about her transfer to an "elite" tenth detachment, but the Federal Penitentiary Service denied any privileges. Human rights activist Ivan Melnikov believes that the transfer to the Vladimir region, and not to Mordovia, is a stroke of luck due to the resonance of the case. The colony in the village of Golovino is designed for 1100 places, has a library, a club, sports grounds, and a temple. Inmates can obtain specialties as a locksmith, finishing work master, or hairdresser. Most importantly, there is a sewing production facility where Blinovskaya is employed. Now the woman, whose fortune was estimated at 64 billion, receives a salary of 6700 rubles.

Blinovskaya's father, Oleg Ostanin, said in July that visits were through glass by phone. Elena is getting used to her new profession, has little free time, and reads books. Her husband Alexey visits her. Despite serving in the SVO, he can come to the colony during his leave. A long-term visit — three days — is allowed once every six months, a short-term visit — once every three months. In February, the blogger was admitted to a local hospital due to a cold, but her lawyer denied rumors of pneumonia.

Ivan Melnikov emphasized that Blinovskaya will need to adapt after her release. "It's always harder for women in this regard. But there are also positive examples when they were released and continued to develop, build families. During their time in prison, many people's families and careers fall apart, but they climb back up, moving forward with new strength. Blinovskaya will need as much time to adapt as she spends in confinement," he noted.

When Elena Blinovskaya will be released from prison

In March, Blinovskaya's brand, under which the marathons were released, was put up for auction to cover her debt to the Federal Tax Service and a loan. Fans are confident that the mother of many children is now more concerned with reuniting with her children than with her former assets. Given that in March 2025, Elena was sentenced to five years in a penal colony, and six months later the Moscow City Court reduced the sentence to 4.5 years of imprisonment, the end of her sentence is in April 2027. Blinovskaya's brother announced approximately the same dates in the spring.