False Police Officers Received Prison Sentences in Vienna

At the Vienna Regional Court, two fake police officers were sentenced to several years in prison on Wednesday. The men, aged 34 and 28, acted as "collectors" between December 2023 and February 2024, after the victims received calls from abroad in which they were frightened about burglars or impending harm and were asked to hand over their money and valuables to police officers who would soon be at their door.

Verdicts against fake police officers not final

In four cases, the 28-year-old acted as a "collector," while the 34-year-old was active three times. The latter received a sentence of four and a half years for serious commercial fraud, while the younger received three years. The younger even produced a fake police ID to deceive the victims. The verdicts are not final.

The prosecutor spoke of "one of the most reprehensible forms of fraud." Elderly people, "who are limited in their decision-making ability," were specifically chosen as victims. "The two were the lowest links in the chain," countered Rudolf Mayer, the defense attorney for the 28-year-old. The masterminds of the group are in Turkey. Unlike the defendants, they have "a low risk of being discovered" and have the loot transferred to them.

"He was in a very bad financial situation"

"He was in a very bad financial situation," noted Peter Philipp, the legal representative of the 34-year-old. His client was "lured" with the prospect of quick money.

The two men pleaded comprehensively guilty before a jury but were not willing to answer questions directed at them. They invoked the right to remain silent. According to the indictment, they caused damage of over 300,000 euros. In one case, 70,000 euros in cash, a gold necklace, a gold chain, and a gold coin were handed over; in another case, 40,000 euros and a gold bar weighing several kilograms worth 170,000 euros. The attempt to obtain eight kilograms of gold worth around 400,000 with the fake police ID, however, failed.

(APA/Red)

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