[3] On 6 April 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed him as the head of Mari El upon Markelov's request.

[7] According to this document, Markelov achieved the allocation of ₽5 billion of state support for the Akashevskaya poultry farm, and he received promissory notes for 234 million from its owner as a "gratitude".

In late November 2019, the Nizhny Novgorod District Court confiscated Markelov's property for 2.2 billion rubles as acquired with undeclared income (including a shopping mall, 16 cars and gold bars).

[8] On 24 February 2021, the court sentenced Markelov to 13 years in a strict regime colony and a fine of about ₽235 million.

In addition, the court decided to deprive Markelov of all state awards and banned him from holding political positions for three years.

[citation needed] In early 2005, Markelov drew the ire of the international press when it was alleged that his authorities beat political dissidents and opponents of his governments with iron pipes.