Celebrity chef Schuhbeck (2014): the star chef sees himself as a corona victim
Photo: Ursula D¸ren / picture alliance / dpa
After the Munich public prosecutor's office, the Federal Office of Justice (BFJ) is also taking action against the celebrity chef Alfons Schuhbeck.
The restaurateur, who is struggling with bankruptcy and tax investigations, has not published any annual reports since 2017.
Since this violates the disclosure requirements stipulated in the Commercial Code for several types of companies, the Bonn authority has initiated administrative fine proceedings.
The authority announced this at the request of the dpa news agency.
Schuhbeck's spokesman initially left an inquiry about the proceedings unanswered. The chef's companies have not published any business figures for several years. Among other things, the balance sheets of “Schuhbeck's Holding GmbH & Co. KG” and “Schuhbeck's Partyservice GmbH and Co. KG” for 2017, 2018 and 2019 are missing in the Federal Gazette.
The fine is usually a minimum of 2500 euros and a maximum of 25,000 euros. A considerable sum could have been raised at Schuhbeck by now. "If the refusal is continued, the threats of fines and fines will be repeated and the amount of fines increased until the company has fulfilled its disclosure obligation," said a spokeswoman for the Federal Office. The authority did not mention the specific amount.
The cook had filed for bankruptcy last weekend and blamed the lack of state corona aid.
"After the state aid that had been announced so full of me, I have to file for bankruptcy for my operations," said Schuhbeck last Sunday.
"It's a really difficult step, but I have no other choice."
The Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs does not comment specifically on this individual case, but has emphasized that all beneficiaries have also received financial help.
Tax investigations have been ongoing against Schuhbeck for a long time, as the restaurateur has admitted.
The Munich public prosecutor's office does not comment on the case with reference to tax secrecy.
However, Schuhbeck at the Federal Office of Justice is not an isolated case: Last year, around 193,000 administrative fine proceedings were initiated for violations of the disclosure requirement.
mic / dpa-afx
