The amount of 6.7 million euros would have been used by the president of the 2006 World Cup, Franz Beckenbauer, who died in January 2024, to corrupt members of the FIFA Financial Commission.
The German Football Federation (DFB) was sentenced to a fine of 130,000 euros on Wednesday by a German court in a tax fraud case linked to the organization of the World Cup in Germany in 2006. The former executives of the Federation “Deliberately defrauded the taxman, there is no doubt”said a judge of the Frankfurt (West) court during the decision of the decision. The public prosecutor had requested a fine twice as high, of 270,000 euros.
At the heart of this trial, which opened in March 2024, is the payment of around 6.7 million euros to a committee responsible for the organization of the World Cup, to cover the expenses of an alleged gala which never took place and whose cost could therefore not be deductible from taxes. In total, more than 13.7 million euros in taxes would not have been paid for 2006.
The DFB has retroactively withdrawn its status as an organization of public utility
According to the court, the amount of 6.7 million would have been used by the president of the 2006 World Cup and legend of German football Franz Beckenbauer, who died in January 2024, to corrupt members of the FIFA Financial Commission. DFB officials wanted to ensure a subsidy of 170 million euros from the world football body.
Following the scandal, the DFB was retroactively withdrawn its status as an organization of public utility. “The DFB cannot afford everything, even if football is the favorite sport of the Germans”insisted the judge, for whom the image of the German federation is “Ternies”. DFB leaders have “Make unheeded and supported payments the corrupt FIFA system”said judge Eva-Marie Distler.
The proceedings against three of the former senior DFB, Theo Zwanziger, Wolfgang Niersbach and Horst Schmidt, were abandoned, by paying fines, between 10,000 and 65,000 euros each.
