By Matthew Becker
The Plöner Straße in the beautiful Schmargendorf. Here in the house lived an American couple of Russian descent in luxury. Mercedes SUV, eye-catching gold jewelry. Neighbors thought Alexandre (57) and Kristina Z. (43) were rich dentists – until the GSG9 special unit stormed the apartment and arrested the couple. Now the Berliners by choice are accused of people smuggling.
Justice spokesman Sebastian Büchner: “The accused are said to have joined forces in 2018 under the leadership of a 50-year-old to infiltrate men and women from the Baltic States as temporary workers.”
The gang boss: Stanislav Z. (50) is said to be the head of the human trafficking gang Photo: OIaf Wagner
The head of the gang: Stanislav Z. (50) from Bremen. The Russian is said to have had the idea for a complicated network of legal companies and shell companies. By the time he was arrested in December 2021, he is said to have smuggled a total of 1,534 people into Germany, some with forged EU passports, and placed them as warehouse workers at Penny, REWE and Zalando for a minimum wage of 9.50 euros per hour.
The alleged gang boss used so-called governors: According to the indictment, in Berlin it was the spouses Alexandre (57) and Kristina Ze (43). The man is said to have been the managing director for Berlin-Brandenburg. He kept in touch with his pioneers and is said to have created work plans and processes for the low-wage workers. Because of her good knowledge of German, she is said to have been the head of human resources and negotiated employment contracts with the companies.
The quick end of the people smugglers: In December 2021, the elite unit of the GSG 9 raised the gang Photo: Spreepicture
According to Büchner, the victims came from regions with high unemployment and low per capita income. They also had a lack of educational opportunities. They are said to have been brought into a dependent relationship by the accused out of fear. They were housed and monitored in specially rented accommodation, and a shuttle service to the place of work was organized.”
Costs for temporary workers: Transport to Germany: up to 900 euros. Moldy mass accommodation (seven people on 60 square meters): up to 500 euros per month. Transfer and fuel costs for the journey to work: 50 euros.
One victim told investigators: He was earning so little money that he ate the vegetable waste he was supposed to dispose of.
For such a dwelling, the gang members took up to 500 euros a month from the temporary workers Photo: Olaf Wagner
The judiciary spokesman emphasizes: “There was also a rather arbitrary system with which penalties for deviant misconduct were set.” There were misconduct such as oversleeping, drunk at work.
Their wages: While the companies paid the minimum wage of 9.50 euros, the illegal workers received an average of just 7 euros an hour. An example: Oleksandr T. (38) from the Ukraine received a salary of 600 euros in the first month. in the second month 1600 euros. Penny pays the company boss 8057.75 euros. The difference of more than 5805.50 euros remained with the people smugglers.
Cashed in: The unscrupulous couple liked to present themselves in Mercedes SUVs and expensive coupes Photo: Spreepicture
Sebastian Büchner: “Since the accused did not pay any social security contributions, damage of 7,860,735.46 euros is said to have occurred.” According to the spokesman for the authorities, wage and sales tax is said to have been evaded in the amount of 7,934,584.61 euros .
If convicted of gang smuggling, the accused could face up to ten years in prison.