Alfons Schuhbeck used to cook for celebrities such as Queen Elizabeth II and Chancellor Merkel. But last year, the 73-year-old had to file for bankruptcy. A court sentenced him to prison for tax evasion.
Star chef Alfons Schuhbeck has to go to prison. The district court in Munich I sentenced him to three years and two months in prison without probation for tax evasion amounting to millions. His employee, who was accused of aiding and abetting, received a suspended sentence of one year.
The court saw it as proven that Schuhbeck took around five million euros from the cash registers in his two Munich restaurants over several years by manipulating sales. This resulted in a tax liability of 2.3 million euros. In addition to the prison sentence, Schuhbeck also has to pay back a sum of millions.
The public prosecutor had previously demanded four years and two months in prison for Schuhbeck and one and a half years in prison for his employee. Defense attorneys for both defendants had asked for suspended sentences.
"I know what I did was wrong," Schuhbeck said in his last word in court. He can no longer change that, but can try to repair the damage and take responsibility for his actions. Previously, Schuhbeck's employees had also sent a letter to the court, which had also read it out.
The restaurateur had gradually admitted the allegations, but stated that he could not remember specific events and sums. He asked the court to believe him "that the amount of the canceled invoices in the 'Südtiroler Stuben' was not as high as I have been accused of up to now". The authorities assume that more than 1,000 invoice numbers have disappeared
Schuhbeck has been known throughout Germany for years from numerous television programs, and he also sold a large number of cookbooks. However, his business with his restaurants and other businesses has been poor recently, and he had to file for bankruptcy last year.
