3.6 million euros

Giant trial deals with enormous social fraud

The four defendants must appear at the Linz regional court

(Bild: Harald Dostal)

Four defendants, five trial days, a long list of witnesses and a total of 3.6 million euros in damages: A trial of truly gigantic proportions begins on Tuesday at the Linz Regional Court. The main charge: social fraud in countless cases through the false registration of construction workers. 

On May 7, a huge economic trial begins at the Linz Regional Court. Both the damage - 3.6 million euros - and the duration of the trial are enormous: five whole days of hearings from nine o'clock in the morning until 18:30 in the evening.

False declarations
The accusation: four defendants are alleged to have committed social fraud over a long period of time by deceiving the Austrian Health Insurance Fund and the Construction Workers', Holiday and Severance Pay Fund.

Front companies and lies
Workers registered with the two funds had been employed and integrated by bogus companies due to untruthful specifications according to their registrations, but had actually worked for two other companies. "The four defendants are alleged to be accomplices and backers of this fraud vehicle," said judge and spokesman for the Linz Regional Court, Walter Eichinger. "The list of witnesses alone runs to several pages - this is a really difficult and complicated economic trial with a great deal of damage!"

Several accusations
The accused quartet must answer for commercial serious fraud, fraudulent registration for social security and the construction workers', vacation and severance pay fund and organized illegal employment.