"Gorch Fock": Osnabrück public prosecutor's office files charges against two ex

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The "Gorch Fock" in September 2021 in Bremen

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FABIAN BIMMER / REUTERS

The public prosecutor's office in Osnabrück has again brought charges against two ex-board members of the Elsflether shipyard.

It is already the third charge against the two ex-bosses Klaus W. and Marcus R., as the public prosecutor's office told SPIEGEL.

W. and R. are suspected of commercial fraud in a particularly serious case.

It's about the renovation of the sail training ship "Gorch Fock".

Between 2014 and 2018, the two men are said to have been responsible for the fact that the shipyard "systematically" incorrectly invoiced the services of subcontractors to the naval arsenal in Wilhelmshaven, the public prosecutor said.

The Navy, which owns the sail training ship, is said to have suffered damage of a good 7.2 million euros.

First, the news portal "The Pioneer" reported on the charges.

The NDR also reports on it. 

The prosecution has been investigating the renovation of the sail training ship for years.

In January, she announced that the two ex-board members of the Elsflether shipyard, Klaus W. and Marcus R., would be charged with granting benefits, infidelity, unauthorized banking and delaying insolvency.

Investigations were also carried out against employees of the shipyard, a civilian employee of the navy in Wilhelmshaven and subcontractors.

Many proceedings were discontinued against payment of money.

The small shipyard on the Lower Weser was the main contractor for the refurbishment of the "Gorch Fock".

The costs for this multiplied from ten million euros to 135 million euros.

In the discussion about the high costs, the business conduct of the shipyard also came into focus.

In February 2019, she filed for bankruptcy.

The Lürssen shipyard in Bremen took over the completion of the sailing ship and returned it to the navy in autumn 2021.

According to the public prosecutor's investigations, the Elsflether shipyard is said to have demanded price reductions from subcontractors in the form of credit notes, which the navy was then withheld.

The respective project managers are said to have been persuaded to demand the credits and to ensure that employees of the naval arsenal did not find out about them.

The credits, usually 15 percent of the order total, should therefore be granted with the final invoice, but at the request of the two managers should not be shown in the written offer or on the invoice.

According to the public prosecutor's office, the indictment covers eleven repair projects at the shipyard, including that of the "Gorch Forck".

Credits are said not to have gone to the navy or the naval arsenal to have made excessive payments to the shipyard.

One of the accused is also said to have instructed the employees to bill incorrect hourly rates.

According to the information, the total damage to the navy amounts to around 7.2 million euros, the damage amounts for the individual projects are between 48,000 euros and around 1.6 million euros.

In the case of the "Gorch Fock", the damage amounts to 247,317.28 euros.

The investigators have been examining the network of relationships between the shipyard, subcontractors in the region and the navy since December 2018.

In the event of a conviction, Klaus W. and Marcus R. face a sentence of between six months and ten years, the public prosecutor said.

One of the men is only accused of not having ended the billing practice, even though he knew about it.

The district court of Oldenburg must now decide on the opening of the main proceedings - it is the last major charge from the "Gorch Fock" investigation complex.

kha/dpa