MP suspects German chancellor of false testimony

Bundestag’s “Left” party faction former deputy head Fabio De Masi has filed an application to the Hamburg prosecutor's office to open a criminal investigation against German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on suspicion of giving false testimony in the so-called Cum-Ex case of embezzlement of state money.

In February 2022, a lawsuit was filed against Olaf Scholz, who served as Mayor of Hamburg, and his successor Peter Tschencher "on suspicion of aiding and abetting tax evasion," Spiegel writes.

The lawsuit was filed by Hamburg lawyer Gerhard Strate. In his opinion, both politicians are involved in the Cum Ex case, in which the Hamburg-based private bank M.M.Warburg & CO fraudulently misappropriated public funds.

Scholz told investigators that he "does not remember" the content of a conversation that took place between him and shareholders of Hamburg private bank M.M.Warburg & CO Christian Olearius and co-owner Max Warburg, but would confirm that there was one, citing his calendar.

According to Fabio De Masi, Scholz should have remembered at least one meeting that took place in 2017, as it was publicly confirmed by his official spokesman Steffen Hebeestreit in February 2020.

De Masi underlined that this situation might suggest that Scholz had given false testimony.

The former deputy leader of the Left Party emphasised that the deception of the investigation commission by the chancellor was unacceptable.