Worth 23 million euros

Fraudster cheated sellers of luxury villas

The Wörthersee

(Bild: Marcel Tratnik)

Until recently, large-scale fraud was on the agenda of a German-Italian dual national in Carinthia and Styria. Among other things, he pretended to want to buy three villas for 23.7 million. The owners were left with high renovation costs and the purchase never materialized. The handcuffs recently clicked in a Styrian hotel.

A 48-year-old man with dual German-Italian citizenship has taken a liking to luxury properties and sports cars. The man, who had settled in southern Styria, traveled to Maria Wörth in Carinthia and visited three villas. He had his 33-year-old employee with him, who was privy to his dishonest methods and supported him. 

During the inspection, the 47-year-old declared that he wanted to pay 23.7 million for the three luxury houses. However, this would require various renovation works. An architect's office was commissioned to do this and had eagerly started planning. But then the supposed buyer disappeared and the owners were left with the conversion costs.

The 33-year-old accomplice has fully confessed. The 48-year-old, on the other hand, denied the crime and gave no information to the police.

Markus Lamb, Polizei-Pressesprecher

The man, who opened several accounts at banks and went far beyond the limits, was not only up to mischief in Carinthia. According to the police, he also struck in Styria. In the district of Weiz, he told a car dealer that he wanted to set up a luxury car rental business. He rented a sports car for this purpose. He paid the first two months' rent, but owed the third. In the end, the car was returned to the dealer in a completely battered state and the perpetrator went into hiding again. 

Suspect went on the run
The dual national was obviously aware that things could get dicey for him in Austria. He fled to Italy, where he was arrested at the beginning of March on the basis of a European arrest warrant. But he managed the seemingly impossible: shortly before his extradition, he ran away! However, his escape did not last long. After an anonymous tip-off to the police, it was established that he had made himself comfortable in a hotel in southern Styria. He was arrested on March 29 and has now moved into a somewhat less comfortable room in Graz-Jakomini prison. Is that why he has not yet broken his silence?