Steinhoff scandal: Ex-manager admits tax tricks in court!

Steinhoff scandal: Ex-manager admits tax tricks in court!

Oldenburg, Deutschland - A dramatic confession shakes the court halls in Oldenburg! A former manager of the furniture giant Steinhoff admitted to the district court that he had given false information at the Westerstede tax office in order to disguise the company's true machinations. The 53-year-old, who has already been convicted of falsifying the balance sheet, admits that he deliberately accepted tax damage of 13.5 million euros between 2011 and 2016

In the center of the scandal, the late CEO Markus Jooste, who steered Steinhoff's fortunes from South Africa. The accused said that Jooste prescribed him which results should appear in the balance sheets - and these were always too high. "It was thought and should always be better than in the previous year," said the former managing director. In order to hide the company's financial problems, false transactions were staged in which trademark rights and land were sold at excessive prices. These manipulations should hide the losses in the operational business and tell a fictional growth history.

confession and repentance

The accused confessed that he was aware of the bogus transactions and explained: "I never intended to move tax." Nevertheless, he accepted that taxes were not paid elsewhere due to his false information. "I made serious mistakes," he added and expressed his wish for a fresh start. With his comprehensive statement, he now wants to contribute to the clarification of the Steinhoff complex and will face the coming negotiation dates that will continue on December 2nd.