Controversy Surrounds Jan Marsalek's Letter in Wirecard Scandal Trial
In connection with the Wirecard scandal trial, a letter from Jan Marsalek, a former Wirecard board member, is causing controversy. Marsalek, who has been on the run for three years, contacted the Munich Regional Court in writing through his lawyer.
Ex-CEO Jan Marsalek, who has gone into hiding, is causing controversy in the criminal proceedings surrounding the multibillion-dollar bankruptcy of German payment processor Wirecard. / Picture: © Polizeipräsidium München (Munich Police Department)
Wirecard was once a renowned payment processor and was one of the darlings of investors. However, the scandal led to the collapse of the company and one of the biggest economic scandals in Germany.
The defense of Markus Braun, the former CEO of Wirecard, demanded that the previously unpublished letter be read out at the trial. Presiding Judge Markus Födisch refused for the time being and decided to rule on the introduction of the letter at a later date, ORF reported.
The content of Marsalek's letter was not disclosed, but it is suspected to contain essential information that could help exonerate Markus Braun. As reported by Standard, it is assumed that the letter did not comment on the allegations made against Marsalek, but merely emphasized that the group's third-party business existed. This would support the position of former Wirecard CEO Markus Braun, who claims that the business of processing payments for partners in Asia was real. The authenticity of Jan Marsalek's letter has not yet been confirmed.
Braun's lawyers protested the judge's decision, which led to heated exchanges between the lawyers, the judge, and the prosecutor. The hearing was interrupted and the judge left the courtroom with the other judges.
Scandal company Wirecard
The Wirecard scandal occurred in 2020 when it became known that 1.9 billion euros were missing from the company's third-party business, Vindobona.org reported. Prosecutors accuse Braun and two other defendants of accounting fraud and fraud.
As time went on, more and more scandals surrounding the company came to light, ranging from the best connections to Russian security agencies to the biggest fraud in German history. Marsalek went into hiding when Wirecard collapsed three years ago and is wanted internationally. He was considered a leading figure at Wirecard and was responsible for the Asian business there, as Vindobona.org reported.