1.4 million gambled away

How a former top athlete became a serial cheat

With promises of luxury watches and financing, the former Carinthian ice hockey player was on thin ice - and ended up in court.

(Bild: Wassermann Kerstin/Krone KREATIV)

"With his salary, he would never have needed to cheat people," says the defense lawyer about his protégé, a former Carinthian ice hockey player who found a top job after his sporting career. But 14,000 euros a month wasn't enough - the 43-year-old ripped off friends for a lot of money.

The former sportsman has actually confessed to having made more than 1.4 million euros through fraud - from a total of 44 victims in Carinthia, Salzburg and Switzerland. However, he would like to explain that he moved in circles where it was normal to pass money back and forth between people for cars, financing, Harleys, luxury watches or clothes. And somehow it just happened.

What exactly? First of all, it's about watches. The Carinthian, who according to his own statements had been earning around 14,000 euros a month from a large corporation until his arrest - net, mind you - had offered acquaintances the chance to buy rare and out-of-print Rolexes. In return, he collected down payments of between 5,000 and 28,300 euros. However, he did not deliver the promised GMT Master Pepsi and Batman; only one customer received watches. All the others looked through their fingers.

The ex-crack had also ventured onto thin ice when it came to financing: "Through my worldwide contacts, my great network, I was asked if I could help transfer money to Switzerland in a tax-efficient and profitable way," he explains somewhat awkwardly. He had bought and sold on the financial market for his friend, but unfortunately it somehow didn't work out. "I realized that it wasn't working, so I tried to recoup the losses through sports betting." That didn't work either - so in the end I was left with a mountain of debt of 1.4 million euros and the handcuffs clicked.

Four years in prison, not legally binding
What happens next for the former Carinthian ice hockey pro? He has to serve four years in prison (not legally binding) - and hopes that he will get his life back under control afterwards. Incidentally, this sentence is not his first, but already his third. The first two sentences were also for financial offenses.