Russia: Google has secured the recovery of 630 million rubles from the agency Deft

The legal battle between the Russian division of Google and the advertising agency Deft ended in favor of the technology corporation. The decision of the first instance, made earlier in favor of the plaintiff, was upheld after an appeal review. The total amount of recovery was about 630 million rubles, including principal and interest.

The lawsuit against Deft, previously known on the market as Amnet, was filed in the spring of 2024. According to the case file, the principal amount was 537 million rubles. The remaining part fell on interest for using other people's money. The respondent disputed the existence of obligations and pointed out that the fact of providing services was not proven, but the arguments were rejected. The writ of execution was handed over to the bailiffs.

Deft is part of the Okkam Group and specializes in purchasing, planning and implementing digital advertising, including display and performance campaigns. Since 2023, the agency has also been developing advertising products and developing digital marketing partnerships.

In parallel with this case, the Russian division of Google continues to actively defend its interests in the courts, filing lawsuits against media holdings and agencies, despite its own status as a bankrupt. Earlier, a similar court decision was issued against MGCom, from which more than 1.5 billion rubles were recovered.

The current practice of litigation underscores the firm commitment of technology corporations to enforce contractual obligations even in the face of financial and legal turbulence.