As of: February 15, 2024, 2:14 p.m
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Exterior view of the Oldenburg Regional Court.
© Sina Schuldt/dpa
Due to balance sheet manipulation, furniture retailer Steinhoff's billions in value vanished into thin air in 2017.
After two judgments in the summer, the legal investigation into the accounting scandal continues.
Oldenburg - A former manager of the Steinhoff Group is once again on trial for tax evasion amounting to millions.
The new proceedings at the Oldenburg regional court begin on Monday, a court spokesman announced on Thursday.
The public prosecutor's office accuses the 64-year-old of having reduced taxes by more than 26 million euros.
The crimes are said to have occurred between October 2008 and August 2012.
The managing director of European companies in the furniture group is said to have provided false information to the tax authorities.
In this way he reduced taxes amounting to more than 26 million euros.
A verdict could come in mid-May.
There have already been two verdicts against the ex-manager
This is not the first case against the 64-year-old.
At the beginning of September, the Oldenburg regional court convicted him of private tax evasion amounting to millions.
He deliberately concealed bonus payments from the Steinhoff Group and thereby obtained around 2.9 million euros.
He must therefore go to prison for three years and three months and pay a fine of 720 daily rates of 350 euros each.
A few weeks earlier, the district court had already convicted the man in another case relating to the accounting scandal at the furniture company.
The group's former manager was sentenced to two years' probation for two cases of incorrect representation in balance sheets.
His colleague was sentenced to three years and six months for two counts of incorrect representation in balance sheets and for aiding and abetting loan fraud.
A search is underway for another defendant
In addition to the two managers, the former CEO of Steinhoff International Holdings, Markus Jooste, and a trustee were also charged.
The proceedings against the trustee were discontinued in return for a payment.
Jooste did not appear at the trial.
A court spokesman said he was still wanted.
Steinhoff, founded by Bruno Steinhoff from Westerstede, was long considered Europe's second largest furniture company.
In Germany the company was known for the Poco chain, which has now been sold to its competitor XXXLutz.
The revelation of the balance sheet manipulation almost completely destroyed the company's stock market value in 2017.
Steinhoff International Holdings, which operates globally, now has its headquarters in Amsterdam and is controlled from South Africa.
dpa