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Michael Wendler: Accused of aiding and abetting thwarting a foreclosure
Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd / dpa
The district court of Dinslaken has issued a so-called arrest warrant against the controversial pop singer Michael Wendler.
The 49-year-old did not appear as a defendant in a trial.
The arrest warrant is valid until Wendler, who now lives in the USA, complies with his summons in court.
A spokesman said that he had been duly invited to the court dates that were postponed several times and is now absent without excuse.
However, it is unclear whether such an arrest warrant will even be carried out in the USA.
Objection to penalty order
The public prosecutor's office accuses Wendler of having assisted in thwarting a foreclosure.
Because of this, a penalty order had been issued, against which the singer lodged an objection.
Therefore, after several postponed appointments, it came to trial.
Wendler is said to have been overwritten - according to the charge in the penalty order - author's shares in more than 150 music titles in order to protect the assets of the original rights holder from enforcement.
The original copyright holder is said to have transferred the word mark "Michael Wendler" to him with the same intention.
According to the court, the penalty order amounts to six months imprisonment on probation.
As a probation condition, 100,000 euros are provided to the state treasury.
Wendler's lawyer did not comment on the allegations when asked.
The presumption of innocence applies until a conviction.
On the eve of the trial, Wendler's lawyer had requested that his client be released from the obligation to come to Dinslaken in person.
However, the court did not comply.
The public prosecutor then applied for the arrest warrant.
Wendler caused a scandal in October 2020 because he accused the federal government of "gross and serious violations of the constitution" in the corona crisis.
He also accused television stations - including his local channel RTL at the time - of being "synchronized".
RTL distanced itself and called Wendler a "conspiracy theorist".
bbr / dpa