Essen Regional Court rejects charges against Assauer's daughter and secretary
Essen Regional Court has rejected the opening of main proceedings against Bettina Michel and Sabine Söldner. No sufficient suspicion of organised fraud.
No main proceedings against Assauer's daughter and secretary
Essen Regional Court has rejected the opening of main proceedings against Bettina Michel, daughter of deceased football manager Rudi Assauer, and his long-serving personal secretary Sabine Söldner. According to Google News DE — Crime (de), citing a ruling available to the dpa news agency, a further acquaintance of Assauer will also not have to answer to the court.
The public prosecutor had filed charges against all three accused parties in May and accused them of, amongst other things, organised and commercial fraud. The two women were alleged to have unlawfully enriched themselves from Assauer's assets.
In the court's view, there is no sufficient suspicion of an offence. On the basis of the current state of investigation, it cannot be assumed that the accused parties had committed the joint offence of organised commercial fraud and that a conviction would be possible.
According to the public prosecutor, Michel and Söldner sold two of Assauer's properties during his lifetime without being authorised to do so. An invalid general power of attorney from 2012 is said to have been presented. The accused were allegedly aware that Assauer was no longer able to conduct business due to his illness at that time. The total damage was put at €767,080.
Against Michel, the public prosecutor also brought a charge of false sworn statements. The Regional Court did not rule on this point as it considered itself not to have territorial jurisdiction.
Rudi Assauer shaped the football club Schalke 04 as manager from 1981 to 1986 and from 1993 to 2006, and was one of the defining personalities of the Bundesliga. He died on 6 February 2019 at the age of 74 in Herten, following a prolonged illness with Alzheimer's disease. Disputes amongst his surviving relatives concerning his estate subsequently led to court proceedings.
Source: Google News DE — Crime (de)