Celebrity fell for it

Donation Scam Involving Mass Shooting: Styrian Woman Sentenced

Judge Barbara Schwarz (left) presided over the jury trial. The defendant (center) was defended by Manfred Arbacher-Stöger (right).(Bild: Moni Krisper, Krone KREATIV)

She pretended to be collecting donations for the victims’ families of the shooting rampage at Borg Dreierschützengasse in Graz—but instead pocketed around 39,000 euros. Musician Christopher Seiler also donated and fell for the Styrian woman’s scam...

“She didn’t have the best start in life; she was in a children’s home and homeless. She had nothing and wanted to feel like she was worth something for once. In custody, she received her first taste of discipline,” attorney Manfred Arbacher-Stöger told the jury court (presided over by Barbara Schwarz) in Graz. But that hardly mitigates what the Styrian woman (33) did: On the day of the rampage at the Borg Dreierschützengasse in Graz, she put on a Red Cross uniform, drove to the scene of the crime to make contact with relatives. Later, she even attended funerals, even though she didn’t know any of the victims.

Seiler transferred 1,000 euros
One day after the incident, she launched a fundraising campaign on an online platform and posed as a bereaved family member, claiming that every single cent would go to the victims. To do so, she even used a photo of a girl who had been shot—without her parents’ permission! On other platforms, she posed as a police officer named “Patrick” and promoted the fundraiser, which even musician Christopher Seiler fell for: He transferred 1,000 euros to her personal account.

That day, Graz came to a standstill, frozen in shock. You say you wanted to help. But you only helped yourself.

Richterin Barbara Schwarz

Her criminal activities were exposed because a journalist asked her how much money had already gone to the bereaved: “That’s when I panicked,” admits the woman, who nevertheless insists she only wanted to do good, and that part of the money did indeed go to those affected. She says she lost track of things and used the donations for her own living expenses.  In total, she collected around 39,000 euros; just over 2,000 euros actually went to the victims.

“On that day, Graz stood still, in a state of shock. You say you wanted to help. But you only helped yourself,” Ms. Rat concluded.

The verdict: 21 months in prison, six of which are mandatory. Due to time served in pretrial detention, these months have already been served. The verdict is not yet final.