Police officer in Lower Austria: years of fraud in fines!

Police officer in Lower Austria: years of fraud in fines!

A 56-year-old police officer from Lower Austria is at the center of a scandalous corruption case. He is said to have pocketed fines collected for traffic violations for years. The investigations by the Federal Office for the Prevention and Fight against Corruption (BAK) began in June 2023 and revealed that at least 484 cases of irregularities were uncovered between August 2020 and April 2023, as the Wiener Neustadt public prosecutor's office confirmed to the "Kurier". The police officer carried out traffic controls in the Wiener Neustadt district and manipulated the traffic tickets by preventing them from being printed using cardboard.

On the archived carbon copies, he recorded less than he actually collected from traffic offenders. The difference went straight into his own pocket. Despite the extensive investigation, which proved difficult because the officers had to track down affected road users in order to determine the actual fines, the accused is “only” charged with a verified amount of 14,720 euros. However, the investigators assume that the number of unreported cases is significantly higher.

Trial against the officer

The police officer has been suspended since the investigation began. The trial, which will take place on April 4th at the Wiener Neustadt regional court, is of great importance because the charges are abuse of official authority and money laundering. The case highlights potential abuses within the police force and reflects a dramatic picture of abuse of power that has shocked the public. This information was reported by “Die Presse” and “Kurier”.