Official auction houses, newspaper advertisements and convincing websites: a 47-year-old did everything he could to talk victims out of gold, paintings, carpets and, above all, fur. The promised auction never materialized. Now he faces extensive charges at the Vienna Regional Court.
For years, there was a German who was causing mischief throughout Austria – under the guise of various auction houses, as the Ombudsman of the Crown already reported. These too were officially registered, placed advertisements in the newspaper and were impressed by professional websites. Hundreds of victims – mainly from the older generation – entrusted the alleged auctioneer with furs, carpets, paintings and gold jewelry.
600 fur coats found in plastic bags
However, the auctions never took place and the victims never saw their belongings again. Watches and coins ended up at pawnshops, the coats in the basement – after the 46-year-old also collected cleaning costs of up to 200 euros per coat. In August 2021, 600 of them were found in plastic bags in a basement in Vienna-Leopoldstadt.
There are now 283 offenses of which the German is accused, according to his lawyer Peter Philipp. The damage is still unclear; the more than 150-page indictment quantifies this as follows: “An amount that exceeds 300,000 euros.” And that is probably many times over, confirms lawyer Peter Philipp.
Many witnesses expected in the grand jury courtroom
On April 19, his high-profile client will be tried in the grand jury courtroom in Vienna. Hundreds of victims are expected in the process due to serious commercial fraud, among other things. The fake auctioneer was already convicted in 2021 for a small part of the fur case. This time it concerns an additional fine.
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.
