A Russian court fined Google 2.5 decillion

A Russian court has imposed fines Google more than the world’s GPD to block Kremlin-linked accounts on its platforms.

The $2.5 decillion fine — meaning $2.5 trillion trillion — was handed down on Tuesday, according to The Independent.

The Russian court has doubled the fine, which was originally only $100,000, every week since 2020 because Google have not paid the fine.

The fine came after two Kremlin-linked media outlets won a case against Google (GOOGLE+2.86%) about restrictions on their YouTube channel.

Google also banned other Russian businesses that supported Russia’s actions during the war in Ukraine, adding to the fines, The Independent said.

The tech giant has been scaling back its operations in Russia for a few years now, blocking the creation of new accounts by Russians and limiting Russian citizens’ ability to earn advertising money on YouTube.

“We have ongoing legal issues regarding Russia,” Google said of the fine, according to reports. “For example, civil judgments that include enhanced penalties have been imposed on us in connection with disputes regarding the termination of accounts, including those of sanctioned parties.

“We do not believe these ongoing legal matters will have a material adverse effect,” the company said.

Google’s Russian subsidiary filed for bankruptcy in 2022 after Russia seized its bank account.

“The Russian authorities’ seizure of Google Russia’s bank account has made it unsustainable for our Russian office to function, including hiring and paying Russian-based employees, paying suppliers and vendors, and meeting other financial obligations,” a Google spokesperson said at the time. , according to Reuters.