The Munich prosecutor has accused Bernie Ecclestone. The Formula 1 boss is accused of bribing a former CEO of BayernLB.
The German judiciary is serious: The Munich public prosecutor’s Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, 82, accused of corruption and complicity in embezzlement. The indictment was delivered Ecclestone, court spokeswoman Margarete Nötzel said Wednesday the news agency dpa. Bernie Ecclestone confirmed this with The Associated Press.
Bernie Ecclestone accused the former BayernLB Gerhard Gribkowsky Board paid approximately $ 44 million bribe to sell the Formula 1 shares in the bank. Gribkowsky was sentenced a year ago to eight and a half years in prison because he has taken the money and not taxed. In the verdict, the judge already emphasized at the time that the former CEO of BayernLB risk had been “led into crime,” Ecclestone. Since then, the public prosecutor’s office against Ecclestone.
Ecclestone has always denied the allegations. According to his account, he was the one who was being blackmailed. The million payment to Gribkowsky was a kind of hush money to Gribkowsky not blacken him by the UK tax authorities. “You accuse me of bribery. Yet I have done nothing illegal” , repeated Ecclestone on Wednesday against AP.
For Ecclestone, it could mean the end of his three-decade era at the top of Formula 1. Behind closed doors, but it is in the paddock for some time: In the case of an indictment by the Munich prosecutor Ecclestone would not be sustainable in the most important position in Formula 1. Global companies would be forced to consequences.
Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo had ever suggested a resignation, should it come to the indictment. Because he loves the Formula 1 Ecclestone’ll be the first to take a step back, “in the interest of Formula 1.” The whole process could “damage the Formula 1”.
A possible jail term in bribery scandal saw Ecclestone last equanimity. “I am not guilty. But if I am sent to jail, I have to deal with it” , He said, “I do not think it would I particularly liked. but you have to deal with certain things.”
