A German court has ruled in favor of Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov in his legal dispute with Western media. The Hamburg District Court has ordered the Tagesspiegel newspaper to refrain from publishing false and defamatory statements about the businessman, which had previously been used as a basis for EU sanctions against him.
The legal dispute originated from an article published in November 2024, titled “Deutschland-Fan and Putin-Friend: Who is the Russian Oligarch Alisher Usmanov?” The article, written by Andrei Popov and since removed, contained a series of serious allegations against Usmanov, including the claim that he had acquired wealth through unlawful means, such as a property on the Tegernsee in Bavaria and the luxury yacht “Dilbar”. The article also accused Usmanov of evading taxes in Germany.
The court has now deemed these statements as unlawful, stating that they are fact-based and the defendants have failed to prove their truth. In particular, the court rejected the claim that Usmanov had acquired Soviet state assets at discounted prices by exploiting his connections with Russian authorities. The court also dismissed the accusation that his wealth was based on securing lucrative state contracts without genuine competition. Furthermore, the court prohibited the newspaper from publishing claims about the alleged ownership of the yacht and the property on the Tegernsee, as there is no concrete evidence to support these claims.
The legal consequences for the Tagesspiegel could be significant. If the newspaper disregards the ban, it may face a fine of up to €250,000 or a six-month custodial sentence.
This is not the first legal victory for Usmanov against Western media. He also won a case against Forbes, after the US magazine published alleged connections between him and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Hamburg District Court again ruled in favor of Usmanov, prohibiting Forbes from publishing such claims in the future.
The Uzbek-Russian oligarch, who, according to Forbes, has a net worth of around $14 billion, was placed under EU sanctions following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict. The sanctions were based on alleged connections to Putin and his supposed support for the Russian government. Usmanov has been trying to challenge the sanctions since they were imposed – so far, without success.