Drama in the beverage world: Were counterfeit bottles distributed in Israel?

The alcohol import company A.G.T.D. has filed a lawsuit in the Tel Aviv District Court against the Ukrainian group Global Spirits, controlled by Yevgeny Chernyak, as well as against the Customs and VAT Directorate. The lawsuit claims that counterfeit vodka bottles bearing a registered trademark owned by the company were imported and marketed in Israel.

According to the lawsuit published in Yedioth Ahronoth, A.G.T.D. was for many years the exclusive distributor of the Khortytsa vodka brand in Israel. In 2019, the distribution agreement between the parties was terminated, and the franchise was transferred to another company. Following this, legal proceedings were initiated between the parties, with A.G.T.D. seeking compensation and Global Spirits filing a counterclaim.

In February 2024, the Haifa District Court partially accepted A.G.T.D.'s claim, rejected the counterclaim, and ordered the Ukrainian companies to pay it $500,000, along with approximately 300,000 shekels in legal expenses and attorney fees. In July 2026, the Supreme Court rejected the parties' mutual appeals and adopted the verdict in its entirety.

In the new lawsuit, A.G.T.D. claims that after ownership of the trademark was transferred to it, it invested resources in preparing the brand for a relaunch in Israel. It claims that despite this, counterfeit vodka bottles bearing the mark owned by it were imported and marketed.

It is further claimed that as part of shipments that were delayed, customs authorities seized thousands of vodka bottles that bore the trademark owned by A.G.T.D., and which were allegedly produced after the rights to the mark had already been transferred to the company. The claims in the lawsuit have not yet been adjudicated in court.