Particle.news
Download on the App Store
9 ARTICLES
·
6d ago

DFB’s Sommermärchen Scandal: Zwanziger’s Case Closed, Association Still on Trial

Theo Zwanziger avoids conviction with a €10,000 charity payment, but the DFB faces ongoing prosecution and a potential €22 million tax liability.

Image
Image
Image
Image

Overview

  • The Frankfurt court conditionally closed Theo Zwanziger's case on April 28, 2025, after nearly a decade of legal proceedings, requiring a €10,000 charitable payment.
  • Similar settlements were reached for former DFB officials Wolfgang Niersbach (€25,000) in September 2024 and Horst R. Schmidt (€65,000) in April 2025.
  • The DFB remains under prosecution for a disputed €6.7 million payment to FIFA in 2005, alleged to have been misclassified as a business expense to evade €2.7 million in taxes.
  • Authorities claim the payment was funneled through intermediaries, including Mohamed bin Hammam, as a bribe to secure a CHF 250 million FIFA World Cup subsidy.
  • The association also faces a potential €22 million tax reclaim after losing its 2006 tax-exempt status in 2017, with the prosecution rejecting any case settlement for the DFB.