Around 14,000 euros

FPÖ politician plundered parents’ association account

The new chairwoman immediately became suspicious when she looked at her account. (symbolic image)

(Bild: Markus Wenzel)

A local politician is alleged to have embezzled money from the parents' association of a school in Sierning (Upper Austria) for years. She covered up her deeds with forged bank statements. But in the end, it was a deposit in the account that proved to be her undoing.

It was a deposit of over 7,000 euros that set alarm bells ringing for the new board of the TNMS Sierning parents' association in the spring - a much higher amount than the usual income that is usually generated at buffets or school parties. It quickly became clear that only the treasurer - an FPÖ politician who had been working since 2019 - could be behind the booking, as only she had access to the association's account, the OÖN was the first to report.

Late remorse
On closer inspection, the total extent of the fraud came to light: around 14,000 euros had been diverted over the years - by paying in the 7,000 euros, the politician apparently wanted to limit the damage before handing over the cash register. Why did the theft go unnoticed for so long?

Everything always covered up
"During the cash register audits, she showed falsified account statements, her bookings erased. In truth, the account was always empty. If we paid for bus costs for a school event, for example, she first had to transfer money from her private account," says the parents' association.

Diversion and withdrawal from politics
The association reported the ex-cashier and the case ended up with the public prosecutor's office in Steyr. "The accused confessed and had no criminal record and had made good some of the damage. That's why she was offered diversion," explains public prosecutor Andreas Pechatschek. If she pays back the money by February, the case will not end up in court. She has resigned from her political offices