About the project
Google is one of the world’s largest technology companies and a member of Alphabet Inc. In 2022, Google initiated bankruptcy proceedings for its Russian subsidiary, OOO "Google".
This website is a comprehensive information resource dedicated to the bankruptcy case. It provides access to court documents, a detailed timeline of the case, as well as news articles and media coverage related to the bankruptcy of OOO "Google".
The information available on this website is intended to ensure transparency throughout the bankruptcy proceedings and to offer a comprehensive and objective overview of the case and its key developments.
Follow one of the largest corporate bankruptcy cases
Up-to-date information on the proceedings
2018
In April 2018, Google Ireland Limited changed the allocation of advertising revenue generated in the Russian market, reducing OOO "Google"’s share from approximately 20% to less than 3%. In response to growing sanctions-related pressure on Russia, Google's foreign entities shifted funds away from the Russian subsidiary through transfer pricing, undermining its financial stability while minimizing losses in the event of a withdrawal from the Russian market.
At the same time, the subsidiary repeatedly failed to comply with statutory requirements governing prohibited content. This period also marked the beginning of unlawful restrictions on YouTube channels operated by Russian media organizations.
2020
Following the unilateral blocking of its YouTube channel, NAO "Tsargrad Media" initiated formal legal proceedings against Google. The lawsuit was officially filed on August 27, 2020.
(Case № А40-155367/2020)
(Case № А40-155367/2020)
2021
The Russian antitrust regulator, the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia), initiated proceedings against Google LLC, alleging that the company has abused its dominant market position.
In its first-instance judgment, the Arbitrazh Court of the City of Moscow ruled that Google had no legal basis for blocking the Tsargrad YouTube channel. The court ordered Google to restore access to the channel immediately and imposed an astreinte — a court-ordered penalty that increased exponentially for each day of non-compliance.
Numerous administrative fines were imposed for violations of laws governing prohibited content.
OOO “Google” paid dividends to Google International LLC totaling USD 128,690,365.56 (RUB 9,499,999,999.86 as of the payment date). On the same day, OOO “Google” transferred RUB 500,000,000 to the state budget as corporate income tax on dividend payments made to a foreign company.
The judgment in the Tsargrad case became legally effective. The court ordered OOO "Google", Google International LLC, and Google Ireland Limited to pay a penalty of RUB 100,000 for each day of non-compliance with the court order, with the amount doubling for each successive week of continued non-compliance.
A turnover-based fine exceeding RUB 7.2 billion was imposed by the magistrate judge of Judicial District No. 422 in the Tagansky District of Moscow due to the company’s repeated failure to remove content prohibited under Russian law.
2022
Following the investigation, FAS Russia found Google LLC’s practices to be unfair and YouTube’s rules to be non-transparent, biased, and unpredictable. For violating antitrust law, on 25 July, 2022, FAS Russia imposed a turnover-based administrative fine of RUB 2,002,171,048 on Google LLC. After Google LLC failed to pay the fine within the prescribed period, the amount increased to RUB 30 billion by 2026.
OOO “Google” issued an official statement announcing its decision to exit the Russian market. The decision was accompanied by the unlawful repudiation of its contractual obligations to employees and counterparties.
OOO “Google”, represented by CEO David Sneddon, filed for voluntary bankruptcy. Monitoring proceedings were subsequently initiated.
The second turnover-based fine of 21.77 billion rubles for the company's refusal to remove prohibited information was imposed by the magistrate judge of Court District No. 422 of the Tagansky District of Moscow.
2023
Bankruptcy proceedings were initiated.
2024
The Moscow Arbitrazh Court, in Case No. A40-126705/ 2022 concerning the bankruptcy of OOO “Google,” accepted for review the petition filed by the bankruptcy trustee of OOO “Google” seeking to invalidate the divident payment to Google International LLC and to recover funds totaling 9,999,999,999.86 rubles. In June 2024, the court granted the petition in full.
The bankruptcy trustee filed a petition to challenge transfer pricing transactions with Google Ireland Limited.
The bankruptcy trustee filed a motion to hold the guarantor secondarily liable.
Applications seeking recognition and enforcement of the judgment concerning the recovery of dividends have been filed in more than 10 jurisdictions.
2025
The High Court of Gauteng Province, South Africa, granted an attachment order over the assets of Google International LLC within its jurisdiction in support of the enforcement of the Russian arbitral award ordering recovery of the dividend payment.
The first payment toward the principal debt owed to employees of OOO “Google” (RUB 199,651,696.69) was made between June and July 2025.
The French authorities granted interim protective measures in support of claims brought by OOO “Google” against its parent company, Google International LLC, seeking the recovery of dividends totaling EUR 112 million that had been unlawfully withdrawn shortly before the initiation of bankruptcy proceedings.
2026
The second repayment toward the principal debt owed to employees of OOO “Google” in the amount of RUB 168,935,636.95 was made in April 2026.
OOO “Google” initiated proceedings for the recognition and enforcement of the judgement in Spain. On 1 June 2026, the Madrid Court of First Instance confirmed its jurisdiction to hear the petition filed by the bankruptcy trustee of OOO “Google”.
A Belgian court granted interim protective measures to enforce the Moscow Arbitrazh Court’s award regarding the recovery of dividends. As a result, assets of Google Belgium totaling EUR 115 million were seized.
