Professional soon to stand trial

Ex-footballer charged with fraud and embezzlement

Local ex-professional footballer Stefan Stangl will soon stand trial for fraud and embezzlement. The kicker, who played for several clubs in the top division and was called up to the national team in his heyday, has been charged with serious commercial fraud and embezzlement.

This was confirmed by Christoph Zonsics-Kral, spokesman for the Vienna regional court, on Friday. The 33-year-old former footballer is expected to face trial in January.

In custody since September
The former footballer has been in custody in Vienna since September after being arrested and extradited in Germany. The Vienna public prosecutor's office is accusing him of a series of criminal acts with a total loss of over 240,000 euros. He is alleged to have committed these in Vienna, at other locations in Austria and in Germany, primarily in 2023. The ex-professional is presumed innocent.

Stangl had ended his active career at a lower league club the previous year. He already has a relevant previous conviction - a conditional prison sentence imposed on him for fraud by the Korneuburg regional court was confirmed in the court of first instance. After his first court hearing, the 33-year-old went into hiding and did not comply with the conditions imposed on him. The Vienna public prosecutor's office finally issued an arrest warrant, the man was arrested in Germany at the end of July 2024 and subsequently handed over to the domestic justice system.

Already with a relevant criminal record
Since the previous year, the former footballer is alleged to have conned people he knew, at least in part, from his work as a professional athlete, by offering them lucrative investments in cryptocurrencies. He also allegedly borrowed loans for the supposed purchase of luxury watches, but did not pay the money back.