Grasser Karl-Heinz (Karl-Heinz Grasser)

Grasser Karl-Heinz (Karl-Heinz Grasser)

Biography

2020: 8 years of prison for a bribe in 10 million euros

At the beginning of December, 2020 the former Minister of Finance of Austria Karl-Heinz Grasser was sentenced to 8 years of imprisonment after it was found guilty of bribery during one of the largest legal procedures on fight against corruption.

The court of Vienna decided that Grasser entered into group which got a bribe at sale of the state apartments in the amount of $1.2 billion in 2004. The court is convinced that Karl-Heinz Grasser through the accomplices reported to company management of Immofinanz AG data of competitors that allowed them to offer high price at biddings. Several other defendants were also found guilty and are sentenced to imprisonment and penalties.

Investigation which led to bringing charges began in 2009 as a branch from the main trial of Immofinanz AG company. According to prosecutor's office, Grasser told the management of firm that their rival at an auction offered 960 million euros for an asset thanks to what Immofinanz submitted the application for 1 million euros above and won biddings.

The Vienna criminal court heard arguments and indications at 168 meetings within three years. Grasser and most of defendants denied any offenses. Only one of defendants, the lobbyist Peter Hochegger, reported that a part of the received royalties intended to Grasser. According to him, Grasser paid it 9.6 million euros, and Hochegger took away a part of money and gave the rest to the company which separated them into three confidential accounts in Liechtenstein. Grasser was a beneficiary of one of accounts that confirmed court. Hochegger was also found guilty and is sentenced to 6 years of imprisonment.

It is about the secret arrangement on "rollback" to the authorized representative Grassera to the detriment of the principal, i.e. the Republic of Austria, - the judge decided.[1]

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