Banks

CO2 tax fraud: defense accuses judge pre-judged before

Dirty shops with Luftverschmutzungsrechten: Deutsche Bank staff should have helped the Treasury to millions to cheat. On Monday began the trial against the seven accused.

With a violent exchange between the defence and the court has the Frankfurter process to a participation of Deutsche Bank employees in the fraudulent sale of Luftverschmutzungsrechten started. Series-threw a defender to the presiding judge Martin Bach and his associates at the regional court on Monday for a “pre-judged” the seven accused and demanded by Befangenheitsantrag their deposition. Bach insisted on a speedy continuation of the trial – “also in the interest of the accused, who have long been awaiting a decision”. Originally there were eight defendants, a procedure was, however, separated.

The General Prosecutor’s office, Frankfurt throws seven now suspended employees of the Bank “heavy bandenmäßige tax evasion”. The prosecution accused the now 34 – to 65-Year-old, a criminal VAT carousel participated as Rohstoffhändlerin, Geschäftskundenbetreuer, employees of the Department of Commerce or the tax Department of Deutsche Bank. The charge: Evasion of 220 million euros of value added tax.

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Sales tax is not paid, but in return demanded

When trading with Rights to the emission of harmful carbon dioxide (CO2) were according to the findings of the investigator about the German societies of emission allowances from abroad and purchased domestically over Zwischenfirmen sold, however, without value-added tax. The last company in the chain sold the papers abroad again. For this, let the crooks from the tax office VAT refund, which has never been paid.

Expression of Bach in a ZDF article from the may 2013 (“Uncanny business, The scandals, the German Bank”) could lead to the conclusion, for the court to stand the guilt of the accused, it was argued by the defenders in front of the 2. Large Wirtschaftsstrafkammer. In a preliminary hearings have Bach also gave the impression that a confession is the only Alternative for the accused. “They want to be here with a steamroller over the accused to drive,” said a lawyer.

Deutsche Bank is not formally been charged with

The investigations have been running for years. The public had become you through a RAID at Deutsche Bank in April 2010. In a first process in 2011, there have been six Bank customers because of serious tax evasion, legally, to prison sentences between three years and seven years and ten months condemned. At that time, Bach had as the presiding judge considerable criticism of the role of the German Bank commented.

By the end of may, so far 26 Verhandlungstage set, the first witnesses should be the middle of March to be heard. Two accused are still on the payroll of the Institute, but are suspended. The formerly highest-ranking defendant is now in retirement. The German Bank had wrongly collected taxes to the tax office refunded. The Bank also sits in the current procedures do not formally on the dock.

ul/iw (dpa, rtr)