Alexander Bastrykin, the head of Russia’s Investigative Committee, has demanded a report on the results of an inquiry into the activities of Artur Sita, whom former followers accuse of violence. The committee’s press service announced this.
The order was addressed to Dmitry Belyaev, the head of the Moscow branch of the Investigative Committee. According to the press release, investigators became interested in the case after a report aired on a federal television channel.
The committee said the broadcast described dozens of complaints that former followers of Sita had submitted to investigative authorities.
Artur Sita, whose real name is Artur Mamedov, is described as the founder of a sect who calls himself a “fashion guru.” He promises his followers “enlightenment” and “instant relief” from depression.
Meduza noted that it had written about Sita as far back as 2024. In a report by journalist Ksenia Morozova, the outlet said he had built a business empire based on the slave labor of his followers.
A new wave of public attention emerged in 2026, when Lola Gruzdeva, a former co-host of Sita’s YouTube channel who had left the sect, accused its founder of abuse and harassment.
Later, allegations of grooming against Sita were also voiced publicly by 18-year-old Elizaveta Zotova, who reportedly entered the sect while still a teenager.