Over 4 million euros

Government Boosts Budget with Shaman’s Loot

The Constitutional Court rejected the convicted individuals’ petition.(Bild: Krone-Collage/Reinhard Holl, privat, LPD NÖ/LKA)

Exciting ruling by the Constitutional Court: Last year, the Vienna Regional Court had declared a large portion of the millions seized from a shaman clan to be forfeited—even though victims could only be identified for a fraction of that amount. The highest court rejected the appeals of the convicted individuals. The alleged millions in proceeds will thus flow into the federal budget.

During the raid on the shaman clan’s headquarters in their villa just outside Vienna, investigators could hardly believe their eyes. Among other things, 25 kilograms of gold bars, kilograms of jewelry, and cash were seized. The “treasure” was hidden in shopping bags under a swimming pool that had been filled with concrete.

Part of the seized shaman’s treasure(Bild: Thomas Werth)

Wealth from “purification rituals”
The total value of the seized assets amounted to more than ten million euros. This was offset by demands for payments from victims totaling 1.7 million euros. The family clan “earned” a fortune largely through “purification rituals” intended to save close relatives of the victims from death.

Shaman “Amela,” the alleged ringleader, remains at large; three family members—represented by Nikolaus Rast, Philipp Wolm, and Alexander Prenner—were sentenced to prison terms in Vienna last December, and the known victims were compensated with approximately 1.7 million euros.

Is the shaman, who is wanted under an international arrest warrant,(Bild: LPD NÖ/LKA)

Violation of the presumption of innocence?
However, because seized cash totaling approximately four million euros, two million Swiss francs, and valuables were retained under the so-called “extended forfeiture” provision, the convicted individuals contested the decision—arguing primarily that this violated the presumption of innocence guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights.

Defense attorneys Alexander Prenner, Michael Babic, Philipp Wolm, and Nikolaus Rast.(Bild: Zwefo)

Now their appeal has been rejected by the Constitutional Court. “Contrary to the petitioners’ assertion, the provision on extended forfeiture is neither a punishment nor a punishment-like measure, but rather a preventive and regulatory confiscation measure of a unique kind, intended to counter a current disruption of the property order,” writes the Supreme Court. Furthermore, the unlawful origin of the money is highly probable. 

Attorney Nikolaus Rast: “The Supreme Court’s decision must be accepted, but we will, of course, examine it in detail.”

The Republic of Austria, meanwhile, will be pleased. This is because the shaman clan’s alleged haul of millions will now flow directly into the state budget—reportedly, 80 percent will go to the Ministry of Justice and 20 percent to the Ministry of the Interior.