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Ex-Cum-Ex Prosecutor Warns on TV: Tax-Rebate Fraud Still Possible in Germany

The absence of a central federal unit leaves enforcement underpowered.

Overview

  • On ZDF’s Markus Lanz, former lead investigator Anne Brorhilker answered “Yes, it is” when asked if the scheme could still run today.
  • Brorhilker said authorities remain poorly equipped and confirmed Germany still lacks a nationwide body to coordinate complex tax-fraud cases.
  • Pressed on next steps, she agreed a finance minister would need to set up such a unit after host Markus Lanz referenced Lars Klingbeil by name.
  • Journalist Eva Quadbeck called the trades theft rather than a loophole and highlighted court findings that there was never a legal gap.
  • Quadbeck also questioned Olaf Scholz’s claimed memory lapses about 2016/2017 meetings with Warburg Bank as losses are estimated from at least €10 billion to about €40 billion and government plans focus on reviewing Cum‑Cum deals and expanding tax research.