Bernie Ecclestone is about to appear before a British court. The allegations weigh heavily: the 91-year-old ex-Formula 1 boss is said to have concealed assets of over 472 million euros abroad.
Bernie Ecclestone even makes the headlines as a 91-year-old ex-Formula 1 boss. Most recently, he was taken into custody when leaving Brazil because a pistol (albeit without ammunition) was found in his luggage. Then his statements about Russian President Vladimir Putin caused great outrage. He considers him a “first-class personality” and, despite the Ukraine war, he would “walk through fire” for him, said Ecclestone. He later apologized for the statements.
But now Ecclestone has a much bigger problem than a pistol in a suitcase and stupid statements about dictators. The British public prosecutor’s office, the Crown Prosecution Service, has accused the Brit of fraud. The public prosecutor’s office said on Monday that it was about assets abroad worth more than 400 million pounds, i.e. at least 472.6 million euros. Accordingly, Ecclestone is said to have concealed the possessions from the British tax authorities.
Bernie Ecclestone has always had a soft spot for dictators
“Prosecutors are reminding all concerned that this defendant is now criminally prosecuted and has the right to a fair trial,” said Attorney General Andrew Penhale. The first hearing is scheduled for August 22 in London. Theoretically, a sentence of up to ten years in prison is possible.
Ecclestone has shaped Formula 1 like no other since taking over the advertising and television rights at the end of the 1970s. The Brit, who is just under 1.60 meters tall, made the series as a powerful managing director into a global and billion-dollar company. He never made a secret of his political views. Doing business with dictators and autocratic states was always easier for the successful entrepreneur to realize – which he always emphasized.
Once he bought his freedom – in Germany
Once before, the Briton escaped a penalty because he virtually bought his freedom. At the time, the allegation was bribery. A Munich court was dealing with the sale of Formula 1 to the investment company CVC in 2006. In April 2013, the process came about. At the time, Ecclestone escaped from prison because the court dropped the case against a $100 million fine. In January 2017, the new Formula 1 owners of Liberty Media removed him as managing director.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
