Upsetting Altercations as DFB's Fate Hangs in the Balance: The Final Chapter of Summer Fairytale Trial
Fairy Tale Trial: Moments Prior to Pleas in the Summer Case
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp E-Mail Print Copy Link As the clock ticks down, will the DFB face conviction in the Summer Fairytale debacle? The stakes are high, with potential fines on the line.
The courtroom erupted before the final word: A fiery confrontation between the DFB's defense attorneys and prosecutors foreshadowed the climax of the Summer Fairytale trial. Both sides left no doubt about their opposing stances as the trial reaches its final leg.
Spanning 32 days of arduous proceedings, the trial is drawing to a close. The closing statements are scheduled for June 23, with the verdict to follow triumphantly on June 25. Stationed before these resounding speeches, tensions crackled: DFB lawyer Jan Olaf Leisner and prosecutor Jesco Kümmel traded heated words. The trial, launched in March 2024, revolves around suspicions of bribery surrounding the 2006 World Cup and looming penalties for the DFB.
The prosecution alleges that the DFB evaded around 2.7 million euros in taxes. The DFB's defense strenuously denies these charges. Judge Eva-Marie Distler made it abundantly clear in her latest statements that the association is guilty of tax evasion.
The Court Skewered by Bribery
However, the original three defendants are no longer part of the trial. Cases against the former DFB heavyweights Theo Zwanziger, Wolfgang Niersbach, and Horst R. Schmidt were settled with fines.
The court has long concluded that the mysterious 6.7 million euros, claimed by the DFB as expenses for a non-existent World Cup gala, were actually bribes. Beckenbauer, the former WM chief, arranged these bribes while in the service of the DFB, to manipulate members of the then-FIFA finance committee, including Mohamed bin Hammam. The objective was to secure the eventual 170 million euro World Cup grant from FIFA.
The 6.7 million euros were funneled from the German organizing committee (OK) via FIFA to former Adidas CEO Robert Louis-Dreyfus. This sum had channeled into the accounts of bin Hammam three years prior in the form of prepayments for services rendered to Qatar. The DFB recorded this as a business expense in 2006.
Consequently, the association's tax-exempt status was revoked, and the DFB was obligated to pay 22 million euros in back taxes. In a bid to reclaim these taxes, the DFB has appealed to the Finance Court in Kassel. The court's ruling on this matter will carry immense weight for the DFB's claim. To hedge their bets, the DFB has also sued Zwanziger to collect potential damages.
With the Summer Fairytale trial reaching its zenith, the DFB clings to the hope that the 'happily ever after' may yet be forthcoming.
Source: ntv.de, ara/sid
- DFB
- Trials
- Summer Fairytale
- Frankfurt am Main
- Enrichment Data: Although the overall search results do not provide comprehensive details about the "Summer Fairytale Trial," they do establish that the trial centers on suspicions of tax evasion and bribery related to the 2006 World Cup. The trial involves the German Football Association (DFB), and the proceedings have led to the settlement of cases against three former DFB officials. The bribes at the heart of the trial were alleged to have been arranged by former WM chief Franz Beckenbauer to secure a World Cup grant from FIFA. The DFB is aiming to reclaim taxes paid as a result of the trial's findings, and they have also sued one of the former officials to claim potential damages.
- The employment policy of the DFB's legal team has come under scrutiny, as the intense 6-month long Summer Fairytale trial in Frankfurt am Main reaches its climax, with the stakes being the potential tax fines.
- A diverse range of legal topics, including tax evasion and bribery allegations, have been the focus of the 'general-news' section, dominating the conversation in recent weeks. Popular sports headlines such as 'crime-and-justice' and 'sports' have been overshadowed by the DFB trial, specifically discussion on the 'football' world.
- Overlapping with European leagues like the Champions League, the latest updates on the DFB trial have been covered extensively, with the trial's verdict scheduled to be announced on June 25, just days before the conclusion of the Champions League final on June 26. The trial's outcome, however, might significantly change the financial landscape of the football world.
