(new: In the first sentence the first name of the Minister of Justice has been corrected (Benjamin – not Peter).)
DÜSSELDORF (dpa-AFX) – NRW Justice Minister Benjamin Limbach (Greens) has defended himself against the accusation of wanting to disempower the lead investigator in cum-ex tax crimes, Anne Brorhilker. It’s about relief, said Limbach on Wednesday in Düsseldorf, contradicting media reports. “It’s too much for one person. It’s about spreading the work across more shoulders and avoiding the statute of limitations for the actions. That’s my concern.”
That’s why he agreed to the proposal of the head of the Cologne public prosecutor’s office last Friday to divide the main department, which takes care of the 120 cum-ex investigations involving 1,700 suspects, into two main departments and to appoint a second main department head.
In cum-ex transactions, investors moved shares back and forth around the dividend record date with (“cum”) and without (“ex”) dividend entitlement. As a result, tax offices refunded capital gains taxes that had not been paid. The state suffered damage estimated at ten billion euros.
Limbach emphasized that the previous main department and its head had done an excellent job. “She has my trust. She is an excellent investigator.”
The number of public prosecutors in the main department increased enormously to 32 because of Cum-Ex. This makes it the largest in North Rhine-Westphalia. “The reports I have received suggest that we have a bottleneck situation,” said Limbach. “We have to organize the investigation efficiently and effectively.”
He pursues two goals: “The masterminds and those responsible must be held accountable. A bulging wallet must not protect against punishment,” said Limbach in the state parliament’s legal committee. “And we have to get back the money that these perpetrators illegally took.”/fc/DP/men