As of: March 25, 2024, 5:26 p.m
By: Ulrike Hagen
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Possible turning point in the Wirecard scandal: According to reports, Erffa's ex-chief accountant is considering making a full confession.
Munich – In the midst of the fraud trial surrounding the payment service provider Wirecard, which has now lasted 110 days, there are signs of another surprising turnaround after ex-manager Bellenhaus was released from custody.
According to information from the
Handelsblatt
, the defense lawyers of former chief accountant Stephan von Erffa are examining the option of reaching an agreement with the court and public prosecutor's office in the Wirecard trial.
A confession from von Erffa could be part of this understanding, although no details were known.
Von Erffa also wants to make a public statement, probably shortly after Easter.
The Wirecard logo can be seen at the former payment service provider's headquarters at the time.
© Peter Kneffel/dpa
Possibly a decisive turning point in the Wirecard scandal: Ex-chief accountant is considering confession
Stephan von Erffa, the most inconspicuous defendant in the Wirecard trial, has so far denied almost all of the allegations.
But there is evidence that casts doubt on his account.
He may even have played a key role.
If he speaks, it could be the decisive turning point in the process.
The former chief accountant of the Dax group, as well as the former CEO Markus Braun, and the ex-managing director Bellenhaus, who works for Wirecard in Dubai, have been in court since the beginning of December 2022 for alleged fraud worth billions.
As a criminal gang with numerous other accomplices, they are said to have invented a large part of Wirecard's profits and to have defrauded banks of over three billion euros in what is believed to be the largest case of economic fraud that has ever taken place in Germany.
Defense attorneys for the ex-chief accountant are exploring a deal with the court and public prosecutor
However, Markus Braun is the only one of the three former Wirecard managers charged with commercial gang fraud who remains in custody more than three and a half years after the DAX company collapsed in June 2020.
Now, according to a report in the
Handelsblatt
, the defenders of the former chief accountant Stephan von Erffa are weighing up the possibilities of reaching an agreement with the court and the public prosecutor's office.
Most recently, a trail in the Wirecard scandal led to Thailand.
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Wirecard's ex-chief accountant wants to break his silence
The first legal discussion, in which the judge, public prosecutor and von Erffa's defense took part, has already taken place, according to the business paper.
However, it is unclear whether there will actually be a confession and how comprehensive it would be.
Further negotiations between the defense, the court and the public prosecutor's office are planned, possibly several.
Stephan von Erffa, who is accused of having included fake figures in the balance sheets, initially denied any involvement in the scandal - as did CEO Braun.
He later admitted to forging the authorization of a money transfer, but claimed it was an isolated incident.
His defense initially argued his alleged insanity.
The Munich regional court appointed two forensic psychiatrists as experts, whose medical report came to the opposite conclusion.
Wirecard trial involving billions in fraud: verdicts will be issued in September
Whether he admits his guilt or partial guilt in a confession remains to be seen.
When asked by IPPEN.MEDIA
, von Erffa's defense did not comment at the time
of going to press as to whether their client would be sought to communicate with the court and the public prosecutor's office - or whether a confession would even be considered.
The court announced that the verdict will be announced on September 5th this year.