Court Case: Allegations of Fraud Against Archaeological Institute Employee

A 57-year-old employee of the German Archaeological Institute is facing legal action in Berlin over alleged fraudulent claims for foreign allowances. The individual is accused of receiving approximately EUR176,000 in additional payments from 2017 until the end of 2020 while residing permanently in Berlin.

According to the prosecution, the defendant intentionally misled her employer regarding her actual place of residence. Despite her claims of being unaware that her presence in Berlin was not acknowledged by the administrative authorities, the prosecution asserts that she failed to report her return to Germany after working abroad.

The charges brought against her at the Tiergarten District Court involve serious fraud allegations, with the state prosecutor citing a case of fraud by omission. The employee initially worked for the Federal Institute in Yemen over two decades ago but returned to Germany due to security concerns. However, she did not inform the relevant department responsible for processing her salary.

During this period, she reportedly received around EUR3,600 per month in foreign allowances, which the prosecution argues were unjustly claimed. The legal focus is on actions that have not yet reached the statute of limitations, specifically those occurring since 2017.

In her defense, the archaeologist stated that her husband and children returned to Germany in March 2011 due to the worsening security situation in Yemen, and she followed them, managing the Sanaa office from Berlin since 2014. She maintained that her work location in Sanaa remained unchanged, and her personal belongings were still in the region, indicating her readiness to return.

Investigations began in December 2020, prompted by audits that revealed an overpayment totaling approximately EUR670,000 since 2011. A witness testified that the archaeologist failed to communicate her change in residential status to the administration after 2014, despite employees being obligated to report such changes proactively.

The defense attorney mentioned that a settlement had already been reached at the Berlin Administrative Court prior to the charges being filed, resulting in the employee repaying around EUR500,000. The current trial will address legal questions surrounding the case, with the defense asserting that the archaeologist did not act with intent to deceive. The proceedings are set to continue on June 11.