Michael Ballweg: “Querdenker” initiator accused of fraud

The public prosecutor’s office in Stuttgart has filed charges against “lateral thinking” initiator Michael Ballweg. She accuses him of attempted fraud and money laundering, a spokesman said on Friday. The 48-year-old has been in custody for about nine months. His lawyers had previously denied the allegations.

According to the indictment, Ballweg is accused of having raised financial donations for “Quermachen 711” in the amount of more than one million euros since May 2020 at the latest through public appeals from several thousand people. He is said to have deceived the donors about the use of the funds. Also in the fact that he is working on the recognition of the non-profit status of “Quermachen 711” by the tax office in the form of an association or a foundation.

According to the public prosecutor, Ballweg is said to have used more than 500,000 euros for his own purposes. The downgrading of the allegations of fraud to attempted fraud is justified as follows: It cannot be ruled out that the funds he used for private purposes came from those supporters who at least agreed to the corresponding handling.

“lateral thinkers” protested against corona measures

Ballweg is also accused of money laundering. He is said to have disguised the allegedly illegal origin of the financial donations raised in the mid-six-figure range by making four cash payments. Four other allegations of money laundering were dropped, prosecutors said.

The district court of Stuttgart must now decide on the opening of the main hearing. The “lateral thinking” movement had formed in many German cities from Stuttgart in the course of the corona pandemic. The supporters repeatedly demonstrated publicly against the political measures to contain the virus. There were also attacks on police officers and media representatives. The Office for the Protection of the Constitution monitors the scene for anti-constitutional views, conspiracy ideologies and anti-Semitic tendencies.