The business court of appeals in Kyiv issued a ruling in favor of France's Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits, one of the largest alcohol distributors in Ukraine.

The company's press service reported that the ruling that declares void the results of an auction to sell the distillery in Cherkasy region, which initially belonged to the French company, to new investors was issued on September 16.

The company said that it suffered from an illegal seizure. Perpetrators of the illegal seizure artificially created a debt via provision of bogus marketing services and then bought the enterprise using the bankruptcy procedure at an auction for the sum equivalent to EUR 13,000.

The Interior Ministry of Ukraine is investigating into a criminal case against abuse of powers by the arbitration manager during the illegal sale of assets belonged to Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits.

The materials of the case have been sent to law enforcement agencies of the United States, as the new owner of the plant – Oleh Taran – is a U.S. citizen.