The explosive fraud trial against the former operator of the ‘Alt Wien’ kindergartens began on Tuesday in the Grand Jury Courtroom of the Vienna Regional Court. But it is not only the 81-year-old who is before the judge, but also his four adult children – three women and a man – and a former employee. It is about serious fraud, breach of trust and fraudulent Krida with a loss of 36 million euros.
The incredible indictment against the pensioner and his five co-defendants, who are presumed innocent, runs to 301 pages. It paints a picture of a self-service store that is second to none. The WKStA’s allegations relate to the years 2009 to 2016. The court is facing a gigantic trial.
36 million euros in taxpayers’ money
The elderly first defendant himself founded the multicultural kindergarten in 1966, and all the bodies of the association were family members. “For seven years he pretended to the city of Vienna that he was running the Alt Wien association as a non-profit organization and receiving full funding for the kindergartens. He wrongly received 36 million euros in taxpayer money. Some of this financing was also used for improper purposes. “We are talking about 16 million euros here,” the prosecutor begins. In reality, the association was not a non-profit organization: “The association was aimed at making a profit and increasing its assets.”
The indictment covers the years 2009 to 2016
The suspected fraud was only discovered in 2016 as part of an audit by the city of Vienna. The question that immediately arises upon closer inspection: why was such a shameless financing fraud worth 36 million euros with the embezzlement of funds of 16 million euros not noticed much earlier?
Massage chair to fur coat
Because the expenditure was shameless: “A large part went to real estate and its maintenance,” says the prosecutor. “For example, two houses were bought in Bad Aussee.” The recordings for private purposes are bizarre: several private luxury cars, including a convertible with a purchase price of 99,570 euros, were paid for with club money, as were countless trips and luxury cars. goods – from massage chairs to fur coats. “He knew exactly what he was doing and deliberately manipulated the accounting,” the prosecutor says in her plea.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
