FP expenses affair: Diversion in the trial against Strache’s ex-driver

The trial against a former driver of the former FP boss Heinz-Christian Strache because of false testimony ended on Monday with a diversion. In the course of the Straches expenses affair, the man stated that he had received an order to declare private invoices as professional expenses using fictitious receipts. However, he never did this.

He then took responsibility at the regional court for criminal matters. The affair became public in September 2019. The basis was an anonymous complaint. Strache is suspected of having financed his private life to a large extent with party money since he took over as party chairman in 2006 until the end of May 2019, when he and former employees are said to have declared private invoices as professional expenses using fictitious receipts. Strache rejects the allegations.

In addition to Strache, other FP representatives are also being investigated. A ruling by the Vienna Higher Regional Court (OLG) recently showed that, according to investigators, the total damage was likely to amount to at least 1.032 million euros.

Strache’s former employee was initially a witness and testified against his boss. He therefore presented the investigators with invoices as evidence, among other things. According to reports, two of them have now been used against him. During the course of the investigation it was said to have been determined that they were not Strache, but rather the ex-driver. These are said to be restaurant bills over 500 euros.

The court accepted the defendant’s suggestion of diversion. Strache’s ex-driver has to pay 6,600 euros in installments as well as procedural costs of 200 euros. The decision is not final.

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