Press Release on the 4th Day of Trial in the Criminal Case Against Michael Ballweg at the Stuttgart Regional Court

Michael Ballweg himself highlighted parallels between the mechanisms at work in this case and the shortcomings during the COVID-19 crisis: “Once again, I saw today how government agencies have become self-perpetuating. We see the same mechanisms of unaccountability at play. The witness remembered nothing, and the essential points remained unanswered – a pattern all too familiar in government processes of this kind.”

Criticism of the Procedure

Attorney Gregor Samimi noted: “It is not our responsibility to create incriminating evidence. The prosecution's witnesses, who were supposed to bring clarity, were either unable or unwilling to do so. It seems the entire case is built on shaky ground.” Attorney Ralf Ludwig stressed that the hearing contributed little to the actual content of the charges: “We are witnessing a Kafkaesque procedure here, where relevant questions are not allowed to be asked and where witness statements essentially contribute nothing to the case. It is concerning that, as the defense, we are learning more about internal discussions and unclear jurisdiction issues than about genuine incriminating evidence against Michael Ballweg.

Insight into the Working Methods of the Tax Authorities

The defense gained insight into the internal operations of the tax authorities. The witness confirmed that the authorities initially focused on income tax and sales tax questions, which were largely resolved in Michael Ballweg’s favor and subsequently dropped. This suggests that the authorities were waiting for a formal deadline to lapse to initiate further action, even though Ballweg’s ability to meet the deadline was hampered by his pre-trial detention.

Michael Ballweg concluded: “We will use this trial to document and expose the government’s arbitrariness and the chaos at the tax office for the public. It is crucial to reveal the unprecedented authority of these agencies and critically examine their actions. In the end, those responsible will say, ‘I was just following orders.’”

The next hearing is scheduled for November 12, 2024, where two witnesses from the Central Tax Office are expected to testify.