The managing director of one of the most modern crematoriums in Europe had to answer before the regional court in Regensburg on Thursday.
Regensburg / Hemau - It was a showcase project, one of the most modern facilities in Europe: The “green crematorium” opened in Hemau (district of Regensburg *) in 2016, right next to the forest cemetery there.
According to information at the time, it cost 3.5 million euros.
It has been reported several times in the past few years.
Via the mourning hall, which could be immersed in the ambience of the Regensburg Cathedral using a projector.
About the hall, in which a funeral feast was offered at star cuisine level.
And via the live broadcast of the urn forest via webcam on the Internet.
Five years later, the crematorium still exists, but the idea generator and managing director Andreas F. (53) is faced with the ruins of its existence.
On Thursday (October 14th) he had to answer before the 6th criminal chamber at the regional court in Regensburg.
Luxury crematorium in Hemau: they were already broke in 2018
In October 2019, the provisional insolvency administration was ordered via the Hemauer crematorium - at the request of a creditor bank.
The bank had already terminated the loan agreements for around two million euros in mid-2018.
The operating company of the crematorium had not serviced the loans for a long time.
At this point at the latest, Andreas F. should have filed for bankruptcy.
But he didn't.
Instead, the native of Munich obtained another loan of 650,000 euros from a private individual - ostensibly to build another kiln line.
In fact, much of the money went into his own pocket.
Including further cash withdrawals from the business account, F. withdrew a total of 583,000 euros from the crematorium company according to the indictment and used the money for private purposes.
Managing director siphoned off money: In 2020 the criminal investigation department was at the door
When the provisional insolvency administration was finally ordered in October 2019, claims of almost four million euros were offset by assets of just over 66,000 euros.
At the beginning of 2020, the criminal investigation department finally stood at the door of the manager who had already been fired at the time - including a search warrant and an arrest warrant.
The allegations: procrastination of bankruptcy, breach of trust and fraudulent bankruptcy.
The investigation is also being carried out against the separated wife, a former shareholder of the Krematoriums-GmbH and a man who is said to have helped Andreas F. divert the money.
He deposited 50,000 euros as security in order not to end up in jail.
Bankruptcy in the luxury crematorium: A "deal" saves the accused from jail
At the hearing on Thursday, the otherwise eloquent Andreas F. leaves the talking mainly to his two defense lawyers.
Michael Haizmann and Professor Jan Bockemühl tried to reach an agreement with the court and the public prosecutor's office in the run-up to the trial.
This “deal” is now being fixed.
Andreas F. makes a comprehensive confession about his defense lawyers and essentially admits the allegations.
"That saves you from jail here," says public prosecutor Dr.
Ingrid Wein later in her plea.
He makes the deposited 50,000 euros available for damage reparation.
Also around 7,000 euros in cash that were seized during the search and a watch worth around 3,000 euros.
According to his own statements, Andreas F. doesn't have any more money.
He is unemployed and lives on Hartz IV.
In return, the 53-year-old gets away with a suspended sentence.
At one year and ten months, the chamber is exactly in the middle between the demands of the defense and the public prosecutor's office.
There is also a fine of 480 daily rates.
In addition, Andreas F. has to do 200 hours of community service.
After bankruptcy in the crematorium: Former managing director threatens personal bankruptcy
In addition to his otherwise impunity-free life and the admission, the chamber also credits the accused with the fact that the concept of the crematorium was definitely a viable one.
“This was not a company that was designed to be fraudulent in the first place,” says the presiding judge, Marcus Lang.
"We assume that he put his heart and soul into it."
Andreas F. says that he fell into a deep hole after the bankruptcy.
The creditors would now shower him privately with lawsuits.
The claims currently amounted to around one million euros.
A personal bankruptcy is therefore only a matter of time.
He is banned from entering the company premises of the crematorium, which continues to run under new management.
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