Chorherr and the entrepreneurs are the focus of the corruption investigation, which starts today, Tuesday. Ten people are reportedly the subject of investigations by the Public Prosecutor's Office for Economic Affairs and Corruption (WKStA), which is looking into claims of abuse of authority or incitement to abuse authority, as well as corruptibility and complicity in bribery in various forms. Fines have been leveled at 21 companies.
Judge Michael Tolstiuk said that the trial will last 11 days, up to and including December 20, 2022.
A lot is at stake for the defendants.
The penalty for payments above 50,000 euros that were implicated ranges from one to ten years in prison.
The accusations are disputed by each defendant.
$1,6,000,000 in euros
Chorherr is accused of taking donations for the charity S2arch while working as a city councilor and the planning spokesman for the Vienna Green Party, which he established and led until 2018. The 47-page indictment was made available to the KURIER.
The official Chorherr allegedly promised the co-defendants advantages during real estate dedication procedures, which is why they allegedly contributed money to this organization, which finances two South African educational initiatives.
According to the WKStA, Chorherr is thought to have accepted "bribes" in the form of contributions to the S2arch organization for "his accomplishments." The organization asserts that all donors should have been aware that the group is ruled by Chorherr.
Nobody revealed
According to the accusation, Chorherr avoided both any action and reported their financial connection to the contributions. Instead, he influenced the initiatives and served as a well-balanced political contact for the donors. Chorherr was aware of the payments and had specifically requested them.
According to Markus Fellner, the attorney for Erwin Soravia, "We are extremely sure that we will be able to thoroughly disclose the facts and thereby comprehensively deny the charges in the legal procedures." Additionally, Benko's Signa "resolutely denies the false charges," according to a statement from the business. The gathering of the facts will show that Signa made the right decision. The gift made by Signa was unrelated to work-related matters. We anticipate that the process will support this as well.
Michael Rami, the attorney for Willi Hemetsberger, claims that his client has nothing to do with real estate projects and finds it puzzling that he is being linked to them. The charity program is his life's work, and he continues to donate now for personal reasons, the author continues.