Commerzialbank scandal

New indictment regarding payment for Christmas parties

An unnamed former member of the bank's Executive Board has been charged with offering benefits to influence.

(Bild: P. Huber)

In the Commerzialbank Mattersburg case, the Economic and Corruption Prosecutor's Office (WKStA) has issued a further indictment alleging that the bank paid for Christmas parties for three police stations in the Mattersburg area. The accused is a former member of the bank's Management Board. Former CEO Martin Pucher has not been charged in this case. 

The Commerzialbank Mattersburg case has resulted in a further indictment by the Economic and Corruption Prosecutor's Office (WKStA), which, according to the indictment, relates to the financing of police Christmas parties. The bank is alleged to have covered the costs of Christmas parties for three police stations in the Mattersburg area.

An unnamed former member of the bank's board of directors is accused of giving benefits to influence. The criminal complaint was submitted to the Eisenstadt Regional Court, with a sentence of up to two years imprisonment.

Investigations into Pucher discontinued
These new charges are part of a larger investigation against Commerzialbank, which already includes numerous allegations, including embezzlement, breach of trust and fraudulent criminal activity. In addition to the new allegations in connection with the Christmas parties, investigations are continuing against former bank board members and entrepreneurs for serious allegations of corruption.

The WKStA is continuing to investigate the Commerzialbank case together with SOKO Commerz and the Federal Bureau of Anti-Corruption.

(Bild: P. Huber)

However, the investigations in this case were discontinued against another member of the Executive Board and the Chairman of the Executive Board, Martin Pucher. He has now been convicted of the entire set of proceedings and charged with further counts, which is why no significant punishment is to be expected for this offense. An indictment has therefore been legally waived, it was said.

Diversion offer for officers
Four largely senior police officers, on the other hand, are accused of taking advantage to influence, as they accepted the costs. All four met the legal requirements for the offer of diversion, it was said. One of them had fully confessed, which made diversion in the form of a probationary period possible. The other three have accepted responsibility - two people have been offered diversion in the form of a fine, one person in the form of a probationary period. These proceedings are still open.

The criminal complaint, the diversions and the partial suspension of the investigations took place after the approval of the project reports by the Vienna Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and the Ministry of Justice after referral to the Council of Instructions. The indictment that has now been filed is one aspect of the ongoing criminal proceedings to deal with the insolvency of Commerzialbank in 2020.

The WKStA, together with SOKO Commerz and the Federal Bureau of Anti-Corruption, is continuing to investigate serious commercial fraud, breach of trust, fraudulent crida, balance sheet falsification, money laundering and various allegations of corruption. It is currently assumed that the damage amounts to at least 600 million euros.