60,000 euros damage

Massaged “black”, but still received aid

60,000 euros had been collected by a masseur (symbolic image), who then concealed his income.(Bild: Evelyn Hronek)

A man (47) was found guilty of serious fraud at Innsbruck Regional Court on Wednesday. Despite his massage activity, he had collected a lot of state aid. He shows remorse.

From June 2021 to April 2024, the man had wrongfully received regular payments from the AMS, ÖGK and the Office of the Tyrolean Provincial Government. The amount of damages: a whopping 60,000 euros. The accused did not even try to shake this sum or the case itself. "I shouldn't have received this money," he said bluntly to Judge Andreas Mair and the lay assessors and pleaded guilty in full.

I should not have received these funds.

Der Angeklagte

Concealing the income from his self-employed work as a masseur from the authorities and thereby wrongly collecting money was "simply wrong". Nevertheless, the 47-year-old was able to give reasons for this serious "omission": "During this period, I was struggling financially for the existence of myself and my children," he stated on the record. He also had to go through a bad separation and was also undergoing psychiatric treatment.

During this period, I was struggling financially for the existence of myself and my children.

Der Angeklagte

After a brief deliberation, the panel of lay judges under Mair decided in favor of a guilty verdict. The man received a conditional prison sentence of five months and an unconditional fine of 1,200 euros. He must pay 5700 euros to the ÖGK. The man must also take care of the rest of the damages - out of court. The public prosecutor, defense attorney and defendant accepted the verdict. "I want to repay these debts," the man affirmed.