The accusation was that the employees of a gondola lift in Lech in Vorarlberg had evaded rental prices for Zipfelbobs for years. But since the 1980s, the rental company would be run independently by employees – with the knowledge of management.
A turning point in the affair surrounding a bobsleigh rental in the chic Lech ski area in Vorarlberg: just a few days ago, the director of the Oberlech mountain railway accused employees of embezzlement. Instead of putting the rental fees for Zipfelbobs into the company’s coffers for a period of ten years, they pocketed them themselves. Now the suspects are defending themselves and raising eyebrows: the rental company has been run this way for 40 years.
Suspect represented by a lawyer
After allegations against twelve employees of the Lech-Oberlech mountain railway became known, they are now defending themselves against the allegations. According to the company, they have evaded rental prices for Zipfelbobs for years and caused damage of around 370,000 euros. The allegations were rejected in the strongest possible terms, four employees said through their lawyers on Friday.
As early as the 1980s, management explicitly allowed employees to rent bobsleds independently. The employees also bought most of the bobs themselves. The rental was always visible to the public, so management had “been aware of the events for more than 40 years.”
Arguments in the background
According to the lawyers, the annual accounts and sales tax returns show that the company has no income from the rental of the bobsleds. The fact that it took the new director a winter season to determine this speaks for itself. The workers are ‘peasant victims’ in conflicts that have been raging in Lech for years.
Bergbahn Lech-Oberlech GmbH & Co KG announced on Tuesday that the director appointed in 2022 noticed at the beginning of 2024 that the turnover booked from bobsleigh rental was too low, after which he carried out further checks. The fees were collected exclusively in cash and were not entered into the cash register by the employees, but were divided among themselves. Extrapolated over ten years, this would have caused a net damage of approximately 370,000 euros. It was said that shareholders, the tax authorities and the Public Prosecution Service were immediately informed.
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.
