Trial in Vienna

Fallen opera star is brought forward from prison

The singer once filled international concert halls. Now he is in prison.(Bild: aerogondo – stock.adobe.com)

Some time ago, a former stage actor swapped the Vienna Volksoper for a prison cell. From there, he is said to have accused his cousin of a crime. However, he does not want to testify against the singer in the Landl.

There is little left of the glitz and glamor. While he thrilled thousands of spectators as a singer in the Vienna Volksoper for over ten years until 2017, two judicial guards are now presenting him in Vienna's provincial court. The man is currently serving a sentence in Simmering prison: at the end of October 2020, he was sentenced to twelve months in prison for defamation and coercion - in addition, outstanding sentences were revoked.

Accused his own cousin of a crime?
This was not his first brush with the law: the former Viennese opera star already has five previous convictions for dangerous threats, damage to property, assault and more. And now the sixth is looming before Judge Christina Salzborn: from prison, the ex-stage actor submitted a statement of facts to the public prosecutor's office. His cousin had withdrawn 5000 euros from his elderly mother's account as an authorized signatory.

Stage actor denies defamation 
She told her son: "I made this complaint for my mother," explained the accused and began to talk about problems in the family regarding her care. After an investigation, however, the allegations turned out to be false. It was not intentional, the singer assures us.

And the cousin also seems to want to let the whole thing rest - he refuses to testify in court. That's why Ms. Rat acquits him in case of doubt. It is not legally binding.