Viennese Lawyer Embezzled Over 5 Million Euros: Four Years in Prison

This was confirmed by court spokeswoman Christina Salzborn upon APA inquiry. As APA research revealed, the lawyer filed a self-report in May 2022 after he had misappropriated foreign assets on a large scale. Damage amount: more than five million euros.

The lawyer, who had not committed any offenses for decades, seemed to have been doomed by his acquaintance with a dubious credit broker. He met the Romanian in the fall of 2020, who promised him participation in a construction project. From January 2021, the Viennese lawyer concluded numerous loan agreements with his supposed business partner or sent him money, initially using his private assets.

When these were exhausted, he withdrew money that he had taken over in trust from clients or had access to in estate or bankruptcy proceedings. He continuously transferred five- to six-figure amounts, which subsequently ended up in the form of crypto wallets with the Romanian citizen.

Believed in "Fairy Tale" of 111 Luxury Wristwatches

Regarding the repayment of the loans, this person promised the lawyer 111 luxury wristwatches that he had purchased in Dubai and for which he first had to pay the import sales tax. As it later turned out, the Romanian was already being sought with a German arrest warrant across Europe on suspicion of fraud. As the Viennese lawyer found himself in increasing financial trouble, his supposed partner explained that the watches were now in a "secured room" in Bucharest and would be sold.

On February 2, 2022, the lawyer received a supposed bank document from Romania, which claimed that the sale proceeds of 56.78 million euros (sic!) had been transferred to him. In fact, not a cent ever reached the lawyer's account. Whether the watches ever existed is more than questionable. It is "to be assumed" that the lawyer "was defrauded," with it being "incomprehensible" why he continued to transfer money until March 2022 without any securities and without the construction project ever getting underway, noted the Economic and Corruption Prosecutor's Office (WKStA) at the end of their investigations.

Viennese Lawyer Fully Confessed in Court

The now retired lawyer, represented by defense attorney Lukas Kollmann, who specializes in economic criminal cases, made a full confession at the Gray House. He was found guilty of breach of trust, embezzlement, serious commercial fraud, and fraudulent bankruptcy. With a penalty threat of up to ten years, his previous blamelessness, his advanced age, and the fact that he had come clean on his own were considered mitigating factors, as court spokeswoman Salzborn stated in this context. Both the defense attorney and the representative of the WKStA accepted the imposed sentence, Salzborn said.

(APA/Red)

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