Andrea Tandler and her business partner Darius N. have been in custody for almost three months. And the two mask millionaires have to stay there for the time being. The Munich Higher Regional Court (OLG) has now dismissed complaints as “unfounded”, as the judiciary press office announced on Wednesday. The Higher Regional Court assumes that there is a risk of absconding as well as “urgent suspicion” as far as the allegation of tax evasion in the millions is concerned.
Andrea Tandler, daughter of the former CSU General Secretary and ex-Minister Gerold Tandler, and her partner N. received more than 48 million euros in commission from transactions with corona protective masks. The Munich I public prosecutor’s office has been investigating for a long time because of the suspicion that the two had not properly taxed their mask proceeds. The damage to the tax authorities is said to be more than 15 million euros. The Tandler subsidiary is also said to have committed subsidy fraud in a Corona aid of 9,000 euros that she later repaid. State aid had been granted to Tandler’s Munich advertising agency Pfennigturm.
The two mask millionaires have repeatedly rejected all suspicions. The fact that the Munich Higher Regional Court nevertheless assumes that there is an urgent suspicion strengthens the public prosecutor’s office in their investigations. From circles of those involved in the proceedings, it is said that charges against Andrea Tandler and Darius N. can be expected soon. After the foreseeable indictment, it should not be long before a trial, which would then take place at the Munich I District Court.
Before the Higher Regional Court, the regional court had already rejected the prison complaints. In this respect, it can be expected that the regional court will allow the planned charges and start a process. In the event of a conviction, Andrea Tandler and Darius N. would have to reckon with a prison sentence of several years. Years ago, the Federal Court of Justice postulated in a landmark decision that, in principle, suspended sentences are no longer possible in the case of tax evasion amounting to millions.
The danger of flight is justified by the judiciary with the fact that the two accused would have to assume sensitive prison sentences. Andrea Tandler has a broad social network in Switzerland; the Tandler family owned an apartment there. According to investigation files, Andrea Tandler described this apartment in Davos as a second home. The judiciary also assumes that Darius N. could go abroad. The presumption of innocence applies to the two accused. Being in custody doesn’t change that.