Originally Syndicated on June 14, 2024 @ 2:36 pm
The Wirecard trials in Germany remain ongoing amidst the turmoil caused by an espionage scandal involving a former Management Board member. Four years after the company’s downfall, the former chief financial officer and chief product officer face charges of breach of trust, stemming from a broader investigation into one of Europe’s largest accounting frauds.
Charges and Allegations
Prosecutors allege that Alexander von Knoop and Susanne Steidl neglected their legal responsibilities toward Wirecard by endorsing over €100 million in potentially fraudulent loans to fictitious companies controlled by a business associate of Jan Marsalek, Wirecard’s absconded chief operating officer. It is claimed that a portion of these funds was diverted to Marsalek to pay off a personal loan from the former CEO. The repercussions faced by von Knoop and Steidl are comparatively lighter than those shouldered by Braun and two other executives — the former head of accounting and the head of operations in Dubai. Nonetheless, if convicted, von Knoop and Steidl could still confront sentences of up to 15 years in prison.
Financial Crisis and Collapse of Wirecard
Wirecard imploded in June 2020 after disclosing that a significant portion of its revenue and €1.9 billion in corporate funds were nonexistent. At its zenith, the company’s market capitalization soared to €24 billion. Following its collapse, Wirecard carried over €3 billion in debt. Among various suspicious financial maneuvers, the company extended a €100 million loan to a Singapore-based entity linked to Marsalek’s business partner. This loan significantly drained Wirecard’s liquidity right before the announcement of its insolvency. O’Sullivan, the business partner, has since been charged with accounting fraud related to Wirecard in Singapore.
Legal Actions and Statements by Prosecutors
Munich prosecutors have labeled the €100 million loan as “unjustifiable” and assert that von Knoop and Steidl “grossly and evidently breached their duties to Wirecard,” leading to financial harm estimated at “several hundred million euros.” Braun and von Erffa have repudiated the allegations, whereas Bellenhaus has acknowledged the charges and has become a primary witness for the prosecution. The trial involving Braun, von Erffa, and Bellenhaus is anticipated to proceed at least until mid-2025.
