Lawyer of fugitive Wirecard executive called to testify in court

Wirecard AG

01/12/2023 19:26

BERLIN, Dec 1 (Reuters) - A German court has called upon
the lawyer of former Wirecard  board member Jan Marsalek, who
has been on the run since the implosion of the German payments
company, to testify next Wednesday in Germany's biggest post-war
fraud trial.
    Wirecard became the first-ever DAX member to file for
insolvency in 2020, owing creditors almost $4 billion, after
disclosing a 1.9 billion euro ($2.13 billion) hole in its
accounts.
    The firm's auditor, EY, said the hole was the result of
sophisticated global fraud in a case that sent shockwaves
through the country's political and financial establishment. The
trial of former Wirecard executives kicked off last December.
    Marsalek, Wirecard's former chief operating officer, is
considered a key figure in the Wirecard scandal and an
international fugitive on Europe's most-wanted list.
    In July he had contacted the Munich court through his lawyer
- although neither the lawyer nor authorities disclosed the
content of this written communication. A court spokesperson said
on Friday that lawyer would now be questioned as a witness in
the case.

 (Reporting by Joern Poltz; Writing by Sarah Marsh; Editing by
Leslie Adler)
 ((sarah.marsh@thomsonreuters.com; +49 30 220133621; Reuters
Messaging: sarah.marsh.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))