For over 23 years

Municipal employee brazenly ripped off new tenants

The man from northern Burgenland was actually only caught because he had retired.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV)

Serious commercial fraud! Instead of the usual 50 euros, the man from northern Burgenland collected 500 euros each time and thus enriched himself with 27,500 euros. After the trial in Eisenstadt, he said over a mélange: "That it happened so quickly ..."

If the now 64-year-old had not taken his, well, well-deserved retirement in 2022, he would probably have been spared the trial at Eisenstadt Regional Court. That's how things often go wrong in life when you don't want to think a seemingly brilliant idea through to the end.

The man worked as a municipal employee in northern Burgenland for 42 years. He was reliable, nice and popular. He was also responsible for managing the plots on a mobile home estate. This meant that if a new plot was taken over, he had to collect the administration fee. This still amounts to 50 euros today.

Simply add a zero
Because his now ex-wife is said to have persuaded him to buy a terraced house in the village, "I overstretched myself financially". So what can he do to at least get a little bit of control over his 250,000 euro debt? Simply add a zero! Instead of the 50 euros, for which he deposited a proper receipt with the municipality, he demanded 500 euros each from around 60 new mobile home tenants between 1998 and 2021. Of course, the man issued additional invoices for 450 euros, which were not worth a millimeter of paper. In this way, the man from northern Burgenland demonstrably enriched himself by 27,500 euros over a proud 23 years.

450 euros cheaper?
Because there are supposed to be neighbors who talk to each other, a newcomer struck up a conversation with a long-established resident. "When I heard that he only paid 50 euros, I went to the municipality and asked why something can be 450 euros cheaper in times like these," said one of the injured parties, who received the answer: "It always cost 50 euros."

Why did the fully confessed man come up with this idea? "I don't know. I'm sorry."

The proper way of life
The latter sentence was interpreted as a remorseful confession, along with the "previously orderly lifestyle". During the last 23 years? So 16 months conditional imprisonment for three years, repayment to the injured parties, 10,000 euros for the Republic. The pensioner accepted the sentence handed down by Judge Karin Lückl. The public prosecutor's office is still deliberating.