Charges Filed Against Craftsmen for Fraudulent Invoice Scheme

Berlin's public prosecutor's office has charged two craftsmen with fraud, alleging they illegally obtained over half a million euros through fake invoices. The charges were brought to light following an internal review prompted by the death of a Senate employee.

The accused, aged 71 and 46, are accused of conspiring to defraud the government by submitting invoices for nonexistent services, including gardening, demolition, installation, and waste disposal. According to prosecutors, the deceased employee from the Senate Department for Urban Development and Housing colluded with them in these illicit activities.

The investigation revealed that the fraudulent activities came to light after an internal audit conducted after the employee's passing in July 2020. The older suspect is reportedly linked to 68 invoices totaling approximately EUR364,000 from 2018 to 2020. Allegedly, he retained part of the money and forwarded the remainder to the deceased Senate employee.

In contrast, the younger suspect is accused of submitting 31 fraudulent invoices amounting to around EUR142,000, allegedly keeping all the proceeds for himself while providing financial benefits to the deceased employee in four instances.

In addition to the fraud charges, the younger craftsman also faces accusations of subsidy fraud. He reportedly applied for EUR9,000 in emergency funding from the Berlin Investment Bank in May 2020, falsely claiming financial distress due to the pandemic, despite having significant income and savings at the time.

As the case unfolds, it highlights the ongoing challenges of accountability and oversight within government contracts, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.