Overview
- The public prosecutor in Potsdam has opened an investigation into Christian Ulmen on suspicion of bodily harm in the context of domestic violence after an initial review found a prima facie case.
- The inquiry covers several alleged incidents that prosecutors say took place in Spain in 2022 and 2023 and follows the referral of Fernandes’s complaint from Spanish courts to German authorities.
- Allegations that Ulmen created fake profiles and shared sexualized material in Fernandes’s name are still being examined but have not yet prompted a separate criminal case.
- Ulmen denies the charges and his lawyers have criticized media coverage and sought legal remedies, while courts have so far allowed much of the reporting to continue; the actor retains the presumption of innocence.
- The case has driven a wider political debate in Germany about gaps in laws on digital sexual violence and prompted Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig to propose tighter rules aimed at better prosecuting deepfakes and online abuse.