Igor Trunov, the lawyer representing Yurevich and his family, told 74.RU that this decision would be appealed. He stated that he was undergoing treatment at a sanatorium in the Caucasus, which he promptly notified the court, requesting a rescheduled hearing. However, the court heard the case in the absence of the plaintiffs, which Trunov believes is a serious violation.
The lawsuit, which claims to be a large sum, has been ongoing since May of last year, during which time the courts and compensation amounts have changed. The former governor's lawyers insisted that the talk show twice aired information defamatory of Yurevich's reputation. The multi-page lawsuit cites over 20 examples, including allegations that Yurevich concealed his business empire, including a major pasta company, behind the backs of relatives and close acquaintances, and that his corruption was known throughout the region.
The lawsuit was initially filed for 100 million rubles. The TV show "The Fugitive Ex-Governor and His Pasta Factory" aired in April, concurrent with the start of the Prosecutor General's Office's lawsuit seeking the seizure of the assets of Makfa and other companies belonging to the families of Yurevich and former deputy Vadim Belousov in favor of the state.
The show featured the defrauded shareholder, actor Sergei Pisarenko, Anastasia Volochkova, deputy Biysultan Khamzaev, and lawyer Igor Trunov. The topics discussed included Yurevich's house and the helicopter he purchased. The defendants listed included the Rossiya 1 television channel, the Smotrim platform, VGTRK, Andrei Malakhov, and journalist Andrei Koretsky.
In May 2024, the Presnensky Court dismissed the lawsuit due to improper jurisdiction. In June, after the second episode of the show, the claim was increased to 120 million rubles. The case hearing in the Savelovsky Court began in August and was postponed several times.