The 63-year-old accused has been in custody for three years and the investigation lasted five years. As the representative of the economic and corruption prosecutor’s office, Ursula Schmudermayer, explained, 15 countries were working together on this case. As a success, at least 15 million euros were frozen in a Chinese account.
“The fraud phenomenon of CEO fraud is internationally known,” explained the prosecutor. The principle is always the same: the person responsible for finance at a company receives an e-mail that supposedly comes from the boss himself and in which strict secrecy is requested. The employee receives the order to transfer money for alleged company acquisitions. In addition, the call of a lawyer involved is announced, which actually took place afterwards.
As soon as the transfer was made, the money was immediately split and transferred to other accounts, within hours large sums were distributed in this way, almost incomprehensibly. The case ended up in Graz because the first damaged companies are in eastern and upper Styria. These fraudulent activities began in 2015, in which at least 56 million euros are said to have disappeared in 18 transfers. Some other cases are charged as attempt.
“He is by no means a direct perpetrator,” emphasized the defender. The lawyer was convinced that “not a single cent” ended up with the 63-year-old. “None of the immediate perpetrators have been caught to date.” The public prosecutor’s office had to bring something up against his client, “otherwise the dock would be empty today,” said the defense attorney.
Source: Nachrichten
