Dhe former MDR entertainment boss Udo Foht has been sentenced to suspended imprisonment for money racketeering in connection with television productions. The district court in Leipzig found the 72-year-old guilty of fraud in 13 cases and bribery. The prison sentence of one year and three months was suspended. Three months of this penalty are also considered to have already been served.
Damage of 314,000 euros
Foht admitted in the trial that he had repeatedly asked show business financiers for loans until his release in 2011. He knew that he would not be able to repay the mostly five-digit sums on time. He needed the money to be able to convert programs on MDR. The public prosecutor’s office had estimated the financial loss at around 314,000 euros.
Prosecutors had asked for a suspended sentence of one year and eight months, while the defense had asked for a suspended sentence of one year.
Foht is said to have favored a freelance author professionally and financially for years. According to the prosecution, he usually sent money to him indirectly via production companies and private individuals. The repayment of private loans is said to have been partly via invoices to the MDR. Foht set up a “financial construct” for this, which he has served for years, said the presiding judge Michael Dahms. The 72-year-old knew that he could not repay the money. Foht acted “abusing his office as head of entertainment” at MDR and deceived the sponsors.
According to Foht, he financed the author so that he could produce the series “We are everywhere” for MDR. The money from the broadcaster was not enough for this. The court finds this alone to be implausible. After all, the financial network put Foht at risk, as well as his professional reputation, said the presiding judge. At least in the end, the court suspected a “dependent relationship” between Foht and the author in question.
The allegations related to the years 2008 to 2011. The public prosecutor also assumed that the author had blackmailed Foht. Proceedings are also underway against the man who testified as a witness at the trial. In the course of the six-month process, the chamber interviewed numerous witnesses, including MDR director Karola Wille.
The public service MDR had terminated the once powerful television manager Foht after the allegations became known. A labor court process ended with a settlement.
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