37-year-old convicted of serious fraud: farm machinery worth €190,000 never paid for
A 37-year-old from the Bruck-Mürzzuschlag district purchased expensive farm machinery in the names of his parents without paying. Leoben Regional Court sentenced him to 15 months suspended imprisonment.
Fraud on the farm: machinery worth €190,000, bill never settled
A 37-year-old from Upper Styria received a guilty verdict for serious fraud before Leoben Regional Court. According to the Kleine Zeitung, the man is alleged to have purchased and leased machines and equipment for his parents' farm in their names without ever paying. His parents also appeared in court but were acquitted.
The equipment acquired included a telescopic loader worth €84,000, a round baler worth €106,000, and a chainsaw worth €1,599. The defendant stated he had wanted to make the work on the farm easier with the machinery.
Judge expresses dismay
Judge Peter Wilhelm opened proceedings on Monday morning with forceful words: "I have been sitting here for 21 years, but I have rarely witnessed such madness." Before him sat the 37-year-old and his parents, who appeared as co-defendants.
The main defendant has debts of around €25,000 and has already been convicted once for failing to pay employer contributions. Additionally, insolvency proceedings were ongoing against him. His parents are also in debt.
The man's mother stated she had been sceptical from the start: "I said this is unaffordable." Her son nevertheless decided to make the purchases and signed a guarantee declaration using his mother's name. "I only signed with the surname," the defendant clarified – he shares the same surname as his parents.
The father explained that he had known nothing of the contracts: "I thought the boy would take care of it." The son, in turn, had hoped his parents would subsequently agree and pay: "I thought my parents would pay once they saw how much the equipment helped."
Even the chainsaw remained unpaid
The 37-year-old did not even settle the comparatively modest amount for the chainsaw. Judge Wilhelm asked for the reason, to which the defendant replied: "I didn't receive an invoice." The judge responded curtly: "I am speechless."
The prosecutor accused the man of using false documents and making false claims about his ability to pay. The defendant made a full confession at the beginning of proceedings.
Verdict: 15 months suspended, parents acquitted
The court found the 37-year-old guilty and imposed a sentence of 15 months suspended imprisonment. The probation period from his previous conviction was extended to five years. His parents were acquitted.
Additionally, the convicted man must make restitution payments to the affected company and to the bank, which has since resold the used machinery at a significantly lower price. With regard to the economic advantages from the use of the unpaid equipment – the so-called "forfeiture" – the judge, together with two lay assessors, agreed on a sum of €1,000.
Source: Kleine Zeitung