Ex-AfD Donor Denies Allegations of Illegal Party Donation

Horst Jan Winter, a former executive at Böttcher AG, refutes claims that his €999,990 donation to the AfD was an illegal strawman contribution.

Horst Jan Winter, a former board member of Böttcher AG, donated €999,990 to the AfD, sparking allegations of an illegal strawman donation.
Winter claims the donation was made independently and denies using funds from a €2 million gift from Böttcher AG's CEO, Udo Böttcher.
Böttcher, who says he was unaware of the donation, has demanded the money be returned within a week and threatened legal action if it is not repaid.
The Thüringen state prosecutor's office is reviewing multiple complaints, including one from a member of the Bundestag, regarding the legality of the donation.
Under German law, political parties cannot accept donations exceeding €500 if the donor's identity is unclear or if the funds are suspected to originate from an unnamed third party.