process
Charge: Boris Becker used a business account as a “piggy bank” for shopping sprees
Boris Becker is on trial in London for delaying bankruptcy. According to the indictment, Becker went on shopping trips despite financial problems.
According to the public prosecutor, Boris Becker, who is on trial in London, used his business account as a “piggy bank” for expensive shopping trips and school fees. Despite his financial woes, Becker spent hundreds of pounds at London’s luxury department store Harrods and indulged in designer clothes, prosecutor Rebecca Chalkley told jury Tuesday. The 54-year-old has had to answer to the court for delaying bankruptcy since Monday.
Boris Becker: Prosecution raises allegations
The public prosecutor accuses Becker of embezzling assets in insolvency proceedings in his adopted country of Great Britain and not complying with information obligations. He faces up to seven years in prison. A bankruptcy court in London had declared the three-time Wimbledon winner insolvent in June 2017 because of outstanding debts. At the time, his outstanding debts were estimated at up to £50 million (€59 million).
In 24 charges, Becker is now accused of having withheld several trophies in the insolvency proceedings, including the trophy for his first Wimbledon victory in 1985. He is also said to have kept real estate, shares and bank balances secret and large sums of money in his ex-wives’ accounts, among other things Barbara and Lilly Becker have transferred.
Among other things, Becker is said to have concealed income of 1.13 million euros from the sale of a Mercedes car dealership in Germany, which was transferred to a company account. Becker used this account as a supplement to his own account, “actually as his own piggy bank, for everyday expenses like school fees for the children and the like,” said prosecutor Chalkley.
Becker rejects allegations
She said the account was used in 2017 to settle £643 bills from fashion house Polo Ralph Lauren, £7,600 for school fees and £976 for purchases from luxury department store Harrods. In addition, 300,000 euros are said to have been transferred to his own account. Additional sums went to an account owned by Becker and his son Noah.
The former tennis star rejects the allegations made against him. The process is expected to take three weeks. Becker appeared in court accompanied by his partner Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro.
During his active sports career, Becker had won 49 titles and collected prize money of more than 20 million euros. Unforgotten is his first Wimbledon victory in 1985 at the age of 17. He became the youngest singles winner of the most prestigious tournament.