Message from prison

Westenthaler begged Strache for an ankle bracelet

Strache (left) and Westenthaler together in parliament twelve years ago(Bild: APA/Roland Schlager)

In December 2018, former FPÖ politician Peter Westenthaler wanted an ankle bracelet and to get out of prison before Christmas. The then FPÖ leader was supposed to help him. He tried, according to chats. Unsuccessfully.

One particular episode surfaced in the U Committee documents: Chat traffic between ex-FPÖ politician Westenthaler and former FPÖ leader Heinz-Christian Strache.

It is December 7, 2018 and Peter Westenthaler is in prison for fraud and embezzlement. He sends a chat message: "Dear HC! I'm desperate and devastated. I would be entitled to the ankle bracelet from December 21. Today I found out that for bureaucratic reasons I won't get it before Christmas, but in January. (...) Dear HC, I beg you to help me. I just want to be with my family for Christmas and New Year. Please!"

Strache (left) and Westenthaler together in parliament twelve years ago(Bild: APA/Roland Schlager)

Strache's efforts were unsuccessful
Westenthaler sends further petitions to the FPÖ leader. Strache's curt reply on December 13: "I will speak to JM (Justice Minister Moser, note) about this." Westenthaler: "Thank you, it would be urgent. (...) I won't forget this for the rest of my life."

(Bild: Krone KREATIV)

Strache's efforts show little success. He had been told that the ankle bracelet was unfortunately not a must, but an option. 

"IS terrorist was given an anklet at the first opportunity"
 Westenthaler continues to complain that he really wanted to see his sick mother. And people like "Count Mensdorff" or an "IS terrorist" were given an ankle bracelet at the first opportunity. It was all arbitrary, "a red prison warden who wants to harass me. There's no other way to explain why you can put on an ankle bracelet on January 3rd, but not on December 21st."

Strache responded: "Unfortunately, you are completely at the mercy of the judiciary here". He continued: "Unfortunately, there's nothing I can do." 

Convicted of fraud and breach of trust
Westenthaler had been sentenced to two years in prison, eight months of which were unconditional, for serious fraud and embezzlement as a participant in a case involving a million euro grant to the Bundesliga soccer club and a 300,000 euro payment from Austrian Lotteries to his former party, the BZÖ.

Westenthaler was finally given the ankle bracelet on December 27. Before that, he served around four months of his sentence in Vienna Simmering prison. On January 31, 2019, he was finally released from the ankle bracelet and has been a free man ever since.