Milliardenbetrug: Wirecard: Verteidiger wollen Prozess vor Ende noch aushebeln

The Munich Wirecard trial's defense team for former director Markus Braun seeks to push the proceedings to their conclusion. Braun's attorney, Theres Kraußlach, requested the suspension of the trial, citing the right to a fair process. The case's circumstances have "fundamentally changed," Kraußlach argued. Resuming the ongoing trial since December 2022 would mean starting over from the beginning, potentially the largest fraud case in post-war German history.

The court aims to conclude, with President Judge Markus Födisch announcing a swift chamber decision on the suspension request. Kraußlach wants to await the outcome of a separate fraud case against a former Wirecard manager, possibly playing a key role in the 2020 billion-euro fraud at Wirecard. The manager, living in Singapore, was extradited earlier this year, after remaining untraceable for years.

The General Prosecutor's Office in Koblenz charged her with an accusation in July. The manager worked in Wirecard's Asia sales division and was a close colleague of former sales director Jan Marsalek, who has allegedly been hiding since 2020. She had intended to testify as a witness in the Wirecard trial but invoked her right to remain silent.

The prosecutor sees no reason for a suspension. "We will likely decide very soon," Födisch said. Braun's guilt in the massive fraud is undisputed. He has repeatedly maintained his innocence. Braun cannot hope for an acquittal, as the court can indicate whether it finds him credible or not. President Judge Födisch described Braun's defense strategy as "untenable" and "incoherent" before the suspension request.

Despite his six years of continuous detention, Braun could be released if the judges deemed him innocent.