Deutsche Bank CEO Josef Ackermann, currently facing “breach of trust” charges for approving controversial bonuses to Mannesmann directors, told a Düsseldorf court on Thursday that he had nothing to hide
Published:
23 January 2004 y., Friday
Josef Ackermann, one of Germany’s top bankers, smiled at TV crews and reporters as he entered the regional criminal court in Düsseldorf on Thursday and appeared nonplussed under the prosecution's magnifying glass.
“I don’t know where there is supposed to be a legal problem,” he said during his 40 minutes of testimony.
The legal problem, according to the prosecution, is that Ackermann wasted shareholders’ money when he awarded multi-million euro bonuses to five former Mannesmann executives – also on trial -- following the sale in 2000 of the German mobile phone company to the British giant, Vodafone. All six defendants face fines or prison sentences of up to 10 years if found guilty.
Mannesmann’s former chief executive, Klaus Esser, also gave testimony on Thursday. He is accused of abetting breach of trust by accepting around €30 million after the record €180 billion takeover. He said that the deal was a great victory for Mannesmann’s shareholders, but a defeat for its management board and executives.
Šaltinis:
dw-world.de
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė welcomed the decision taken by the U.S. Government to transport shipments for the international mission in Afghanistan by transit via the Klaipėda Seaport.
more »
EU Solidarity Fund aid to repair storm damage in France and Portugal was approved by the Budgets Committee on Thursday.
more »
The European Investment Bank and the Government of Samoa formally agreed to support the rehabilitation and upgrade of independent water schemes in the Pacific island state under a EUR 250,000 technical assistance programme.
more »
Steps to overhaul the European Union's flagship single market were discussed on Tuesday (9 November) by MEPs and interested parties.
more »
Strategy to secure a sustainable EU energy supply and support economic growth over the next decade.
more »
EU funding to help 850 former workers in the aircraft maintenance industry around Dublin find new jobs was approved by the European Parliament on Thursday.
more »
Saffron farmers in western Afghanistan hope to oust opium as a harvest crop.
more »
The European Commission has approved an application from Poland for assistance from the European Globalisation adjustment Fund (EGF).
more »
New plans for EU industry to create jobs while keeping manufacturing in Europe.
more »
The European Commission has approved two applications from Spain for assistance from the EU Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF).
more »