Overview
- The Staatsanwaltschaft Potsdam confirmed an Ermittlungsverfahren after Collien Fernandes filed a complaint, and prosecutors are now examining claims including alleged incidents in Spain.
- Fernandes has accused her ex-husband of creating fake profiles and distributing intimate images and videos that were meant to appear to show her, allegations that have driven public protests and calls for legal change.
- Die Zeit says its reporters spent hours speaking with Ulmen and his lawyer but could not publish because Ulmen and his counsel later withdrew authorization for quoted material.
- Ulmen’s law firm rejects Die Zeit’s account, calling the Mallorca meeting a background briefing and saying Ulmen declined to authorize publication for 'höchstpersönliche Gründe' despite lawyers urging him to agree.
- The case combines a formal criminal probe, contested journalistic practices over quote authorization, and broader debate about gaps in German law on sexualized digital violence and online identity misuse.