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5d ago

Ex-CSU MP Lintner Sentenced to Probation Over Azerbaijan Bribery Scheme

Munich’s verdict marks the first use of Germany’s foreign-bribery law, with co-defendant Axel Fischer scheduled for a fresh trial.

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Der Ex-CSU-Abgeordnete Eduard Lintner auf der Anklagebank in München.

Overview

  • A Munich Higher Regional Court found Eduard Lintner guilty of forwarding Azerbaijani funds to influence votes in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and imposed a nine-month suspended sentence.
  • The court determined that Lintner played a pivotal role in channeling payments to the late CDU MP Karin Strenz, describing his contributions as “essential objective contributions” to the bribery agreement.
  • Lintner admitted that he received about €4 million from Azerbaijan between 2008 and 2016 through shell companies and passed part of those funds on to other parliamentarians.
  • Proceedings against former CDU MP Axel Fischer were separated due to his illness, and his case is set to restart later this year to address allegations of receiving cash payments.
  • This conviction represents the first enforcement of the 2014 statute banning illicit foreign lobbying of Bundestag members under Section 108e of the German Criminal Code.