Suspicion of infidelity
Raid on German sports association
12/18/2024 – 2:03 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
German equestrian sport is currently experiencing a lot of unrest. Now there was even a house search at the FN association.
Things remain uneasy in the German riding association, and now the judiciary has also become involved. According to a decision from the Münster District Court, parts of which are available to the Sports Information Service (SID for short), “the search of the business premises of the German Equestrian Association (FN) in Warendorf, including all adjoining rooms and the existing motor vehicles, was ordered”. The action took place on Wednesday.
According to the decision, the basis is an investigation against General Secretary Soenke Lauterbach, who will be in office until December 31st, as well as the former financial curator Gerhard Ziegler, Klaus Miesner (FN managing director of the breeding department), the former president Hans-Joachim Erbel and Hans-Rainer Reisloh ( former FN managing director of human resources and finance) “on suspicion of infidelity”.
Lauterbach and Erbel were not exonerated by the general meeting in July, and Erbel then resigned. Lauterbach resigned on September 30, 2025, but was officially released at his own request on December 31, 2024 shortly after the new President Martin Richenhagen took office.
According to the decision, among other things, the investigation concerns alleged internal payouts in the association. “The usual amount was €90k for selected employees (higher before Corona), €80-90k for department heads and €80-90k for board members,” it says verbatim: “The accused Lauterbach and Dr. Peiler (managing director of the German Olympic Committee for Equestrianism DOKR, editor) together almost €50,000.”
In addition, pension contracts have been concluded for some employees, including Lauterbach: “The FN paid an annual amount adjusted to the remaining working hours until retirement to an insurance company, so that upon retirement, around €600,000 was paid in addition to the company’s and statutory pension are paid out.”
It is to be assumed, it goes on to say, that “the search will lead to the discovery of evidence, namely: contracts, minutes/documents on bonus payments, Excel tables on bonus payments, personnel files, internal email inboxes of the accused, accounting documents and other documents with reference to the proceedings.” This includes “documents in written and digital form, as well as storage media of any kind”.