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3mo ago

Key Testimonies Announced in Ongoing 'Sommermärchen' Tax Fraud Trial

Former DFB officials and associates, including Günter Netzer, are set to provide testimony as the court investigates financial irregularities linked to the 2006 FIFA World Cup bid.

Overview

  • The 'Sommermärchen' trial, centered on allegations of tax fraud during Germany's 2006 FIFA World Cup bid, continues at the Frankfurt Regional Court.
  • Former DFB President Reinhard Grindel testified but provided limited clarity on the use of 6.7 million euros at the center of the investigation.
  • Günter Netzer, a former football star and associate of Franz Beckenbauer, will testify via video in February, following Swiss legal cooperation.
  • The trial focuses on a 2005 payment of 6.7 million euros to FIFA, allegedly misclassified as a business expense in the DFB's 2006 tax filings, resulting in significant tax losses.
  • Upcoming testimonies include former DFB President Wolfgang Niersbach and Beckenbauer's former manager Marcus Höfl, as the court seeks further clarity on the financial transactions.