What role did Olaf Scholz play in the cum-ex scandal? A dem star This internal note from Cologne prosecutors could cause new problems for the Chancellor.
Two months ago, Olaf Scholz’s lawyer received mail from the Cologne public prosecutor’s office. The content: a note on the so-called Cum-Ex affair. The case from the time when Scholz was still Hamburg’s first mayor has been a concern for politicians and the judiciary for years. The affair has long since become a curse for the Chancellor; he simply cannot get rid of it.
At the end of last year he seemed to be off the hook. At that time, shortly before Christmas, the public prosecutor’s office decided not to initiate an investigation against Scholz for aiding and abetting tax evasion. Anne Brorhilker, the responsible senior public prosecutor, closed the relevant file. Case closed, that’s how it seemed.
What no one knew until now: Brorhilker had to reopen the file, number 213 AR 14/22, in July. The authorities noticed that they had never given written reasons why further investigations against Scholz could not be justified.
The public prosecutor had to provide additional information. And so Brorhilker’s department wrote the note that ended up with Scholz’s lawyer in July and now gives the case the latest twist. The paper talks about “inconsistencies in Olaf Scholz’s statements”. So were the investigations ended even though the lead prosecutor herself didn’t want that?