Instead of making several hundred thousand euros on curtains, a Viennese woman became the victim of a rip-dealing gang. A 22-year-old simply exchanged the agreed gold commission with a package of screws. The young Frenchman is now on trial in Vienna, but the masterminds and the golden ducats remain hidden.
A Viennese curtain seller smelled a lot in February: a man on the phone offered to sell curtains worth almost 330,000 euros to a Croatian buyer. A commission of 95,200 euros was agreed for this – in gold. Which must of course be checked in advance by a colleague of the caller. A 22-year-old entered the woman’s shop, checked the box containing the ducats and said goodbye.
Screws instead of gold ducats
When the curtain seller herself opened the box with the gold ducats, a nasty surprise awaited her: instead of valuable precious metal, she found only screws and nuts. The young Frenchman had exchanged the box and had long since fled to his homeland with the loot. But that was not his last visit to Vienna: a short time later he was arrested and extradited.
Rip Deal gang also wanted in Switzerland
But there’s no trace of the gold. And the 22-year-old in the Vienna Regional Court cannot help. “I didn’t get any of the money. I had no advantage. I was afraid he would hurt me. “I was only given instructions when to do something,” he explained to the jury. Because he is only a small part of a French gang that specializes in international ripping deals, the group is also being investigated in Switzerland.
His lawyer Lukas Hruby (Arbacher-Stöger law firm) also explains: “He is the smallest cog, the lowest level. The last act of this rip deal is not the most complex. People like my client, who is not the brightest candle on the cake, can do this too.” The 22-year-old has never questioned his instructions and does not even know his client’s name. He also had no knowledge of the exact value of the loot.
And the jury believes him. The Frenchman is acquitted of the charge of membership of a criminal organization: “It cannot be proven with certainty whether the suspect had knowledge of the network,” Mr Rat explains. Two years of partial imprisonment remain, including eight months for serious theft and money laundering.
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.
