Valery Talyarovsky, the bankruptcy administrator of Google's Russian legal entity, told a court on October 29 that approximately 16.8 billion rubles had been withdrawn and transferred in connection with enforcement proceedings over fines.
According to reports of the administrator's remarks, Russia's Federal Bailiff Service deducted about 14.7 billion rubles. Other transfers and a total bankruptcy estate of roughly 18.8 billion rubles were also mentioned. These amounts refer to different categories in the accounting for the funds and must not automatically be added together as separate payments.
The case concerns a Russian company undergoing bankruptcy proceedings. It does not establish that the American company Google LLC voluntarily transferred 16.8 billion rubles to Russian authorities from its own overseas accounts. The legal identities of the companies and the method by which the funds were taken are essential to understanding the transaction.
The bankruptcy of Google's Russian subsidiary has unfolded against a backdrop of years of claims by Russian state bodies and other creditors. The allocation of the bankruptcy estate and enforcement of fine judgments affect what funds may remain available to other parties in the proceedings.