The trial against the 47-year-old alleged clairvoyant only began on Tuesday in the Munich II Regional Court – and had to be suspended on the second day of the trial. The reason: The defendant and his wife, who was also accused, did not appear in court. Unapologetic, as court spokesman Laurent Lafleur said in response to SZ’s request. The chamber is now checking whether the requirements for an arrest warrant are met.
According to his lawyer Ömer Sahinci, the defendant said on the phone that he was sick and then hung up immediately. The police who were supposed to bring the couple in for trial did not find anyone at their address. An acquaintance of the defendant also tried to reach them. The defendants told her that they were sick in Türkiye.
The 47-year-old is accused of 62 counts of commercial fraud. His 39-year-old wife is charged with 18 counts of aiding and abetting. The man is said to have exploited a wealthy woman’s superstition for years and defrauded her of millions.
According to the public prosecutor’s office, the 47-year-old played to his alleged victim that he was a medium who could bring blessings and keep shame away from her and her family. Allegedly to prevent accidents, the defendant is said to have carried out mysterious rituals. The couple is said to have exploited the woman for years, and the first acts date back to 2011. However, only incidents since 2018 are accused.
The 47-year-old refused to testify at the start of the trial. After a legal discussion, the presiding judge summarized that he had flatly denied it to his defense attorney. There was initially no so-called deal. According to the court, the public prosecutor’s office indicated in this conversation that they could imagine a sentence of seven years for the man – four to five years if he confessed fully.