Covid-loan fraud in Lucerne: restaurateur applied for seven loans and received 250,000 francs
A Lucerne restaurateur stands trial for alleged Covid-loan fraud. He is said to have fraudulently obtained around 250,000 francs using false figures.
Lucerne restaurateur in court over Covid-loan fraud
A 53-year-old restaurateur from Lucerne must answer to the Lucerne criminal court because he allegedly applied for seven Covid-19 loans during the coronavirus pandemic – making false statements about turnover and employee numbers. This is reported by blick.ch, citing the Luzerner Zeitung.
From March 2020, the Italian born and raised in Switzerland submitted the loan applications. Two were rejected, five approved. The court described the turnover figures stated on the forms as "fantasy figures". In addition, he is said to have declared too many employees. Over three months, he received around 250,000 francs in this manner – money which, according to the prosecution, was used not for liquidity shortfalls but for private expenses.
The public prosecutor called the case in his closing argument to the court the "largest Covid-19 loan fraud in the canton of Lucerne" and demanded a prison sentence of three years and six months as well as a ban from the country for seven years.
The accused family man rejected the charges. He said he had miscalculated when planning staff for his projects and had assumed an expected turnover. "I assumed it was correct," he said in court.
Around 180,000 francs are being called for repayment. The accused has no income, however, and has filed for personal insolvency; to date he has been unable to repay anything. His defence counsel pleaded for complete acquittal and argued that his client lacked criminal intent – fraud was not in play. The verdict will be delivered to the parties in writing.
Source: Google News CH — Crime (de)