Ecclestone in bribes swamp

 

The wait is Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone is not usual. In his world, where time is measured in thousandths of a second, two hours for an eternity. But on this Wednesday morning at the Munich District Court, the 81-year-old is not the massive star in the glamorous world of Formula 1, but a witness in the bribery case against the bank executive Gerhard Gribkowsky, the fit to the instructions of the judiciary must.

The Briton is polite when his interrogation after hours of waiting time to finally begin shortly after 13 clock. "Good day in Munich," the presiding judge Peter Noll welcomes the old man who disappears with its size of just 1.60 meters, almost between the robes of lawyers and judges. But the small, wiry billionaire did not hesitate: He needs only a few minutes to the court his most important message to deliver: Ecclestone sees himself in the crime of bribery payments in the sale of the Formula 1 share of the BayernLB not as criminals but as victim. To make this clear, he is flown in from London voluntarily - no one could force him abroad as a witness to come.

Clear and precise Ecclestone admits, to have paid substantial sums of money to a former bank executive Gerhard Gribkowsky. "That was because I saw no other option at the time." He was afraid that would set the Gribkowsky UK income tax authorities on him - and that would have deprived him of his fortune. "It would have been a disaster for me." That's why he wanted to keep the bankers' friendly and peaceful, "so this was not any stupid ideas.

It's about $ 44 million

That the prosecution looks quite different: it assumes that the bankers Ecclestone 44 million dollars (32.3 million euros) to have paid bribe money to regulate the sale of the Formula 1 share in his spirit. Gribkowsky since the end of October so needs to stand trial for corruption. Ecclestone also run against the investigation by the Munich prosecutor's office.

During his visit to Bavaria, he could but be sure not to get arrested: To him ever to win their testimony, Ecclestone was promised safe conduct - that is, that he must leave Germany with his private jet as a free man again - unlike Gribkowsky who sits in custody since January.

In court, the two disparate men nod in greeting only once briefly: Here is the handsome banker in a suit with a white handkerchief, laughing even as the accused still beaming. Fear there the gaunt, but still fitte man from the world of sports, where life has already dug deep wrinkles in his face and the need in his elderly age also have to land on the dock.

Ecclestone has much to lose:

As head of Formula 1, it has brought the shrewd businessman into a billion dollar fortune. But the racing series is more for him than just a money machine for Ecclestone is it his life's work, his baby, he has raised. All the more shocked he was, suddenly as a result of the Kirch bankruptcy in 2002, BayernLB and other banks took over the command, in his view, neither the idea of ​​Formula 1 still had passion.

Gribkowsky had the task of the shares of BayernLB at the best possible price to sell. Ecclestone wanted the British investor CVC as a new owner, since it did not want him Stakeout. In 2006, the deal finally went for more than 800 million dollars over the stage - for the bank is more than a good price. Ecclestone also been involved as a mediator with a million According to the charges commission on the deal. In a secret of his negotiating skills he opened the judge in Munich. For him there was never a tough conversations "No," he informed her. If he does not agree, he say instead: "I guess about it." The fine is the English way of Mr. Ecclestone.

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