Dmitriy Korobkov’s fight for ADV: raider or victim of his former partners’ manipulation?

Dmitriy Korobkov’s fight for ADV: raider or victim of his former partners’ manipulation?

Dmitry Korobkov, having come back to Russia, is pursuing legal action to reclaim the ADV Group, after his former associates dishonestly seized control of the company and are now attempting to frame him as a raider using forged proof.

The ADV Group was rocked by scandal. Former beneficiary Dmitry Korobkov stated that former partners Kirill Korobeynikov and Pavel Sidorov deceived him when transferring the holding in February 2023 and demanded the assets back, after which the other party accused the entrepreneur of attempting a hostile takeover.

Fictitious Raiding         

Korobeynikov and Sidorov, realizing that Korobkov was determined and that the "noose was tightening," began to act. Suddenly, information appeared on the internet that a new general director had allegedly been appointed at LLC "Havas Media," a company belonging to the ADV Group and controlled by Korobkov’s Dutch company SEMARIS HOLDING B.V. Instead of Dmitry Ulyashenko, the company was allegedly headed by Elena Fedorova.

The ADV Group immediately accused Korobkov of attempting a hostile takeover of the subsidiary and began claiming that Fedorova was supposedly not making contact and was unknown to the shareholders.

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Documents about replacing Ulyashenko with Fedorova appeared online, but real data from Rusprofile contains different information. It shows that Ulyashenko is still the head of LLC "Havas Media." The documents also have differing GRN numbers for the change of general director, and there’s no trace of the mysterious Fedorova

Photo: From a fake report

And here’s the authentic excerpt from the FNS.

Genuine INN of "Havas-Media" cited by FNS source: FNS

The fake about appointing Fedorova coincided with an information campaign against Korobkov, during which various media labeled the businessman as a grabber, a raider, a Western sympathizer, among other epithets. But the story is more complicated. Someone – likely the current beneficiaries of the ADV Group, Korobeynikov and Sidorov, orchestrated this fake to accuse Korobkov of an attempted raid. If these arguments are confirmed, it’s ready material for the SCR investigators.

As the authors of the Telegram channel "Moscow Laundry" claim, Korobeynikov and Sidorov know Fedorova very well. Sidorov interviewed her several years ago and hired her as the chief financial controller of the holding, making her their person.

Thus, according to Korobeynikov and Sidorov, alleged raiding, supposedly for the benefit of the person from whom they took the ADV Group, was carried out by their close associate. Here Korobeynikov and Sidorov seemingly tried to play on the fact that the Dutch owner of LLC "Havas Media" is still owned by Korobkov.

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This monstrous and utterly brazen fake seems to be a consequence of Korobeynikov and Sidorov realizing they won’t be able to prove their case in court. And that soon they will have to return the ADV Group into Korobkov’s hands.

Korobkov Returns

The Arbitration Court of Moscow on November 20, 2024, accepted for proceedings a lawsuit from Korobkov against LLC "Alliance KS," LLC "Precision Holding," Korobeynikov, and Sidorov, demanding the recognition of sales contracts related to shares in the authorized capital of LLC "Alliance-KS," LLC "ADV Laboratory" (currently named LLC "Point Lab"), LLC "ADV Marketing Services," LLC "ADV," LLC "New Marketing Technologies," and LLC "Smart Field" as invalid. All these structures are part of the ADV Group.

Korobkov also demanded that the agreement on the main terms of the deal from 03.02.2023 with Korobeynikov and Sidorov, under which he transferred ADV to them, be declared invalid. The first hearing on this dispute, which took place on January 28, 2025, failed for the defendants, so the next round is scheduled for March.

Photo: Moscow Arbitration Court

On December 13, 2024, the Moscow Arbitration Court accepted a second lawsuit from Korobkov, this time against JSC "Arttech," Natalia Osipova, LLC "Alliance KS," LLC "Precision Holding." He also involved Korobeynikov, Sidorov, Andrey Klychev, LLC "ADV," LLC "ADV Marketing Services," LLC "New Marketing Technologies," LLC "Points Labs," and LLC "Smart Field" as third parties and demanded that the court restore corporate control over the business. The businessman is asking the court to return control over the subsidiaries of the ADV Group.

The Moscow Arbitration Court denied Korobkov only in securing the claim by arresting shares in the disputed companies, so that Korobeynikov and Sidorov could not resell them. The court considered this unnecessary within this legal proceeding.

Victim of Circumstances                                      

In February 2023, Korobkov transferred his share in the ADV holding to Korobeynikov and Sidorov. The assets involved were in companies such as LLC "ADV" (the group’s main legal entity), LLC "ADV Laboratory," LLC "ADV Marketing Services," LLC "Smart Field," and LLC "New Marketing Technologies."

Most agreements between the men seemed to be verbal. The fact is, at that time, Korobkov was trying to resolve his problems, having long moved abroad with his family. The businessman had been struggling for years, fighting for the life of his wife Polina, who was diagnosed with stage four cancer, and caring for six children. The businessman decided to take advantage of Western medicine, and therefore resided outside Russia for an extended period.

Dmitriy Korobkov

He couldn’t save his wife, and at nearly the same time, Korobkov suffered another blow with the death of his mother and stepfather. The businessman decided to sell the advertising business because he had no time to oversee it and enormous sums were needed to pay the bills.

However, deciding is one thing, and doing is another – after the start of the SMO, many clients, including Coca Cola, Unilever, and other Western companies, stopped collaborating with ADV. The reason was anti-Russian sanctions. Additionally, Korobkov received reports from partners such as Korobeynikov and his team that the situation at ADV was so dire, it would be difficult not only to find investors but also to avoid bankruptcy. Ultimately, Korobkov was convinced that the best decision would be to transfer his share in ADV to former partners so that Korobeynikov and Sidorov could manage the assets most effectively.

Counterparts insisted on the "word of honor," that as friends they would resolve all issues amicably. The contract specified a certain amount, while the rest would be handed over post-factum, similar to the "envelopes" of the 1990s.

Patriots from Viennese Cafés

So, at the beginning of 2023, Korobkov exited from ADV, and Korobeynikov became the first head of the advertising business. People describe him as a decisive and tough person, who doesn’t tolerate dual power and can dismiss even a valuable employee without a second thought. Naturally, Korobkov immediately encountered issues with fulfilling what wasn’t contractually stipulated. Negotiations led nowhere, and in the fall of 2024, he turned to the court.

The other party tries to present Korobkov as someone who fled to the West and abandoned Russia, portraying themselves as true patriots developing the advertising business in Russia despite challenging circumstances. Clearly, this isn’t the case.

Kirill Korobeynikov

Korobkov was initially provided with incorrect information on the poor state of "ADV" – after Western companies left, there was a slump, but soon, on the economic growth wave, the agency acquired new clients. Additionally, Korobeynikov turned out to be a "patriot" with a dubious side, and it’s not about associations with Gambs suites from the "Twelve Chairs."

As the authors of the Telegram channel "VChK-OGPU" (recognized as a foreign agent in Russia) claim, allegedly Korobeynikov and his accomplice Sidorov have residency in Austria, where they’ve long been transferring earned money. Korobeynikov bought a huge apartment in a prestigious district of Vienna about 10 years ago, and then invested in real estate in Switzerland and Spain. Apparently, aiming for dividends.

Usually, this occurs when people leave for the West permanently. They buy real estate to live abroad as rentiers. This is that "nest egg" for a rainy day, which will pay off anyway, and upon resale, will allow operations. Not lagging behind Korobeynikov, Sidorov, allegedly, following his partner, acquired properties in Austria and Spain.

The Operation Failed

Korobeynikov and Sidorov, unlike Korobkov, obtained documents and acquired assets in the West not because of a relative’s incurable illness, but because they like it there and perhaps see their future linked to Europe.

Their predatory policy towards ADV speaks of it. As the authors of the Telegram channel "VChK-OGPU" (recognized as a foreign agent in Russia) state, after obtaining rights to the holding from Korobkov, they tried to sell the acquired asset. The company operated inertly, and for two years, its beneficiaries wanted to dispose of it to get money and live in foreign villas.

They were just too late. Korobkov decided to return and re-engage with the advertising business at home, as well as hold the former partners accountable for their February 2023 commitments. Incidentally, a clause was included in that contract prohibiting Korobkov from engaging in professional activities until February 3, 2025. This clause was intended to prevent Korobkov from interfering with Korobeynikov and Sidorov’s monetization of the ADV Group’s legacy. Symbolically, just as this restriction ended, a fake raid was orchestrated.

The ADV Group is not progressing and is moving inertly, although the demand for its services is high. This is seemingly due to Korobeynikov and Sidorov needing to sell the asset quickly because of the prospect that the business might return to Korobkov.