Dortmund: dirty business with the garbage disposal?

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Marzouk C. was arrested on February 17, 2022 in this pizzeria in the north of Dortmund

Photo: Tobias Großekemper / DER SPIEGEL

When Marzouk C. was arrested in a pizzeria in Dortmund about a week ago, not only a picture book career ended for the time being.

The environmental engineer had worked his way up to the Dortmund Waste Management (EDG), a city subsidiary with around 1,000 employees, and four years ago became head of the works council.

C. was also a member of the SPD and had been chairman of the municipal integration council for a year - which is why a picture book integration story ended for the time being and the possible case of corruption is also a political issue.

According to the public prosecutor's office, the 40-year-old is said to have collected money from applicants in order to then coach them before the respective job interviews, such as revealing the answers they wanted, and "brought them into the jobs in this way," according to the responsible public prosecutor Henner Kruse.

From a legal point of view, this is regarded as »taking advantage«.

German applicants are said to have paid 5,000 euros

C. himself is silent to the investigative authorities about the allegations, his phone is switched off.

His lawyer also does not want to comment on the allegations at the moment.

The jobs at EDG are in great demand: The jobs at a municipal waste disposal company are crisis-proof and they are paid according to tariffs.

The public prosecutor assumes that C. received 5,000 euros from German applicants and 3,000 euros from applicants from immigrant families.

When C. was arrested in the pizzeria, a so-called job interview was going on, C. was given 3,000 euros.

found.

Some things are still unclear even days after the arrest.

Should the accusations be true in principle: did applicants only have to pay if they were successful?

How often has C. allowed himself to be paid?

The public prosecutor's office is currently assuming at least two cases.

And: Did C. pretend to be able to get you into the job with certainty as head of the works council?

"Then contact me"

According to Norbert Schilff, getting someone into an EDG job with certainty was not in C's power.

Schilff, who was born in Dortmund, is the chairman of the EDG supervisory board and led the SPD parliamentary group in Dortmund for six years.

C. was “not a decision-maker”, he was “Chairman of the Joint Works Council”.

But of course he could have given advantages to potential candidates.

This interpretation, according to which C. was a phony and could have sold something that was not in his power, is heard more frequently in Dortmund these days.

But that's not all: A former EDG employee from management says that C. had a great deal of influence.

And that "there had been a rumor among the EDG staff for months that one could buy a job at C."

A rumor that C. apparently fueled himself – which could have been his undoing.

"If you know people who want to start with us, then get in touch with me," he said to an employee and also offered him money.

The man is said to have turned to the public prosecutor's office via detours.

This is how the investigations against C. apparently started.

According to the public prosecutor's office, the informer is now being investigated for aiding and abetting.

He is said to deny having accepted any money.

At the EDG, C. was given the option to explain the process "relentlessly and completely," says Schilff.

Of course, the company cooperates with the authorities.

Similar to Schilff, the mayor of the city, Thomas Westphal (SPD), had previously expressed himself.

C. had been chairman of the municipal integration council for a year.

The 27-strong committee is elected in local elections by Dortmunders with foreign passports, advocates for the interests of migrants and can also bring motions or resolutions to the Dortmund City Council.

According to people close to the Integration Council, C. was committed and very social, for example in helping the homeless and with various football clubs: He was "always way ahead when it came to helping other people."

Elections are due again at EDG in March: a new works council is being sought.

What Dortmund is now also missing is a chairman of the integration council.

C. had been asked to resign by SPD party friends when the allegations became known.

He complied on Sunday.