Trial in Feldkirch

Employee embezzled 50,000 euros

A man from Unterland had shamelessly exploited the trust of his boss and diverted thousands of euros from the cash register for himself.

"How does someone with a clean record suddenly take money from the cash register unlawfully?" Judge Christoph Stadler wants to know from the defendant at the trial at Feldkirch Regional Court. Especially as the 27-year-old was considered a good and reliable employee who enjoyed the trust of the management and was also responsible for the cash register and accounting in the petrol station store. In any case, the accused has no plausible explanation: it was just a big stupidity that he now regrets very much.

Defendant denies the amount charged
Prosecutor Sarah Nenning accused him of defrauding his employer of at least 50,000 euros between September 2021 and September 2023 by scanning customers' goods, collecting the money in cash and then deleting the respective item from the cash register system. The unfaithful former employee admits to this. However, he disputes the amount charged to him. "It was definitely much less than 50,000 euros."

How does someone with a clean record suddenly take money from the cash register?

Der Richtet zum Angeklagten

Incidentally, the malversations only came to light in the course of an audit. When asked by Mr. Rat whether the accounts had always been checked by a second employee or supervisor, the accused answered in the negative. Which explains why the 27-year-old was able to divert so much money over a period of two years.

The fact that the unfaithful employee was ultimately found guilty of embezzlement and not of commercial fraud is also due to the lack of control.

The sentence, which is not yet final, is nine months' suspended imprisonment and a fine of 3,900 euros. The man must repay the private party 47,000 euros within 14 days. The same amount will be forfeited due to the intent to enrich.