Meiningen (dpa/th) - The Meiningen public prosecutor's office has brought charges against the former CDU member of the Bundestag, Mark Hauptmann. It is about the suspicion of tax evasion, as Jochen Grundler, spokesman for the prosecution, said on Friday. He thus confirmed a report in the newspaper "Freies Wort". Accordingly, the 38-year-old is said to have submitted an incorrect sales tax return for a sole proprietorship he operates. As a result, the Treasury suffered damage "in the lower five-digit range". Hauptmann will therefore soon have to answer before the district court of Meiningen.
The Thuringian public prosecutor’s office had also investigated against Hauptmann because of corona mask deals. However, these proceedings on suspicion of bribery were discontinued in September because there was insufficient suspicion. Hauptmann resigned from the Bundestag in 2021.
In the course of the so-called mask affair, Hauptmann was accused of arranging corona protective masks and receiving a commission of several hundred thousand euros from a Frankfurt company. Hauptmann had always denied having enriched himself by selling masks.
Another case against Hauptmann for allegations of fraud is pending at the Meiningen public prosecutor's office. This process is still in its infancy, said Grundler. Accordingly, it is checked whether Hauptmann and a Jena agency have double-billed costs for events on behalf of various organizations.
