German Mayor's Conviction in COVID Relief Fraud Case Upheld by Federal Court

Markus Berktold, ex-mayor of Seeg, will serve 5.5 years in prison for defrauding over €2 million from pandemic relief funds.

The Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe rejected Markus Berktold's appeal, making his fraud conviction final.
Berktold, former mayor of Seeg, was found guilty of fraud, attempted fraud, data falsification, and breach of trust.
He illegally claimed over €2 million from the COVID-19 'Pflegerettungsschirm' fund between 2020 and 2022 as head of a care facility.
The court confirmed the initial sentence of 5.5 years in prison, issued in January 2024 by the Nuremberg-Fürth Regional Court.
Co-defendant and care facility manager received a separate prison sentence of 3 years and 11 months for their role in the scheme.