Overview
- The Staatsanwaltschaft Hannover confirmed Thursday that it has opened preliminary investigations into Steffen Krach on two counts of suspected Vorteilsannahme, a criminal charge roughly equivalent to taking improper benefits.
- Prosecutors said they are also probing a separate case alleging anti‑competitive agreements in the tender process together with breaches of trade‑secret and GmbH confidentiality rules for a hospital‑site reuse project in the Region Hannover.
- Authorities searched Krach’s Hannover office, his Berlin apartment and the SPD state headquarters in Wedding on Thursday and seized Krach’s mobile phone as part of evidence collection.
- The inquiry centers on a reported €9,900 donation from one bidder to the Berlin SPD during the procurement; Krach says the party returned the gift after he ordered it to be sent back in early January and he denies ever taking private money.
- Lower Saxony’s municipal supervisory authority has opened preliminary inquiries to assess a possible disciplinary case but that administrative process can be paused pending the criminal investigations and may affect Krach’s campaign with the Abgeordnetenhaus vote scheduled for September 20.