TV presenter and entrepreneur Verona Pooth has won a lawsuit against entrepreneur and Görtz managing director Bolko Kissling’s company Sneak Avenue before the Hamburg regional court. This is reported by the Hamburger Abendblatt, citing the judgment from Friday available to the paper.
Accordingly, Sneak Avenue was ordered to pay in full outstanding claims amounting to more than 400,000 euros, plus interest and costs. The defendant also bears the court costs. An appeal is possible within one month.
Kissling had argued to the Abendblatt that the insolvency of Görtz meant that the distribution channel was no longer available, which meant that the basis for the business no longer existed. In addition, Pooth only implemented an opening event, a photo shoot and a few social media posts and received a “very large sum” for them.
Court follows plaintiff’s argument
The court did not follow this representation. According to the reasons for the judgment, Pooth had fully fulfilled her contractual obligations and there was therefore no right of retention. Pooth’s lawyer Christian-Oliver Moser spoke to the Abendblatt about a “victory across the board”.
According to the report, the amount in dispute amounts to almost 420,000 euros plus significant interest. More than 60,000 euros are said to have already been collected through compulsory enforcement. Since the contract runs until summer 2026, further claims of around 300,000 euros could be added. Kissling rejected an early termination of the contract that Pooth and her lawyer had offered. According to the Abendblatt, consideration is now being given to claiming this amount in court.
Further proceedings against Kissling
For Kissling, this is not the only ongoing court case. The entrepreneur was significantly involved in the recent development of Görtz. In 2023, through his Austrian company CK Technology Solutions GmbH, he took over the traditional Hamburg shoe retailer from a previous insolvency and thus initiated a new start. In this context, Kissling acted as an investor and new owner.
However, the agreed purchase price of 1.3 million euros was not paid. The insolvency administrator sued successfully and the responsible court upheld the lawsuit in May 2025. However, Kissling appealed. The proceedings are currently before the Hamburg Higher Regional Court.
After the takeover, Görtz himself found himself once again experiencing economic turbulence. Further insolvency proceedings were initiated at the beginning of 2025.
Note d. Editor: FashionUnited contacted Bolko Kissling, the Hamburg Regional Court and Verona Pooth’s lawyer, Christian-Oliver Moser, and asked for a statement.
