Wienwert Case: Vienna ÖVP Leader Mahrer Indicted

A total of eleven people will have to answer before a jury.

The WKStA had been investigating the case since 2017. The real estate development company Wienwert became insolvent in 2018. More than 1,800 investors who had subscribed to the company's bonds were affected. The incriminated damage amounts to around 41 million euros. According to the indictment available to the APA, nearly 23 million of this falls into the period of Gruze's predecessors Nikos Bakirzoglu and Wolfgang Sedelmayer.

Mahrer Accused of Contribution to Breach of Trust

In addition to the Wienwert managers, the district head of Donaustadt Nevrivy, and the Mahrer couple, two lawyers, an auditor, and an investor have been charged. The case involves allegations of breach of trust, serious fraud, fraudulent insolvency, falsification of accounts, bribery, and violation of official secrecy.

Mahrer and his wife are accused of contributing to breach of trust. It is alleged that the PR consulting company run by Mahrer's wife received a total of 84,000 from Wienwert over a period of seven months without providing corresponding services. Although Mahrer, who was then the Deputy Police President of Vienna and later an ÖVP National Council member, had no legal relationship with the company, he repeatedly appeared for the PR agency in connection with the payments from Wienwert.

Nevrivy is said to have disclosed the planned location for a depot expansion to the Wienwert board in advance, after which the board purchased the property and the Wiener Linien had to buy it back at a much higher price. This allegedly caused the city of Vienna a loss of around 850,000 euros, the WKStA announced in a press release on Thursday afternoon. In return, he is said to have received several VIP tickets for the Vienna football derby and national team games from the real estate company. Additionally, around 36,000 euros were improperly given to a music group from his home district.

Gudenus and Tschank: Diversion Offers

Diversion offers were meanwhile received by the FPÖ National Council member Markus Tschank and the former blue Vienna Deputy Mayor Johann Gudenus. The latter had asked the accused Wienwert board member for a donation to the non-operational FPÖ-affiliated association "Economy for Austria". At that time, its chairman was Tschank, who made a corresponding donation request. The subsequent donation of 10,000 euros is considered by the public prosecutor's office as an undeclared party donation. Both accused took responsibility, the diversion procedure is still open.

Specifically, those responsible for the Wienwert Group are said to have offered over the years to invest in real estate development and promised investors considerable returns. Bonds were advertised, among other things, in television spots to a wide audience and were portrayed as particularly trustworthy due to an alleged proximity to the city of Vienna. Investors were thus supposed to be enticed into making corresponding investments, even though the corporate group was already insolvent, according to the public prosecutor's office.

Furthermore, Gruze is said to have sold Wienwert properties to third parties well below value, causing millions in damages. He is also said to have granted loans to companies within the group, even though they were already insolvent.

Lawyer of Former Wienwert CEO Pointed Out Long Duration of Proceedings

Gruze's legal representative, Norbert Wess, pointed out the long duration of the proceedings in a statement. His client had always been available to the law enforcement authorities over the eight years and had always behaved cooperatively, "as well as contributed extensively to clarifying the facts." This also applies to the cooperation with the insolvency administrator of the Wienwert Group.

Furthermore, Gruze contributed to reducing the damage for the corporate group and its investors. "We are very confident that no serious criminal charges against Mr. Stefan Gruze can be upheld," Wess is quoted in the statement. Gruze had only been active as a restructuring board member for one and a half years and had nothing to do with the company before that.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.