Ringier publishing house defrauded of around one million francs
A former executive at Ringier Publishing in Zug and a marketing manager from Lucerne defrauded the company of about one million francs using fictitious invoices. The Zurich District Court convicted them of fraud on Wednesday.
The two men had to stand trial before the Zurich District Court on charges of commercial fraud, falsification of documents and money laundering. The former Ringier man is also alleged to have relieved the unemployment fund of more than 5,000 francs by providing false information after his departure.
Wife had bought too much
The main accused ex-cadre man largely confessed, but blamed his fraud on extraordinary circumstances. On the one hand, he had suffered from inferiority complexes and existential fears. On the other hand, his still-wife had spent far too much money, the family man stated.
The Lucerne accomplice put the entire blame on his former business partner. The latter had assured him that the practices were tolerated by the Ringier management in order to set up black-money accounts for an advertising company.
Budget to set up. He thought that was fine, he said in court.
Because of the considerable culpability, the public prosecutor demanded prison sentences of several years: three years partially conditional for the former Ringier executive, of which twelve months unconditional, and 24 months conditional for the Lucerne sole proprietor.
The Ringier Group had waived civil claims in the criminal proceedings. The authorities had still seized around 200'000 francs from the main defendant. The accomplice also returned his share of the loot.
Prison sentence for main defendant
The court convicted both men of commercial fraud and forgery of documents. The ex-Ringier man was also found guilty of offenses against unemployment insurance. In contrast, they were acquitted of money laundering.
The main defendant received a partially conditional prison sentence of two and a half years. He is to serve six months of that. The marketing manager got off with a conditional prison sentence of 20 months.
The court did not accept the motive of existential fears of the main perpetrator. The accused had not stashed away the loot of over 800,000 francs, but had consumed it senselessly, said the chairman. He had spent up to 300'000 francs tax-free per year. (SDA)
