Fraud with coronavirus aid? New investigations against star chef Alfons Schuhbeck

For years he was at the top, then came the deep fall: Alfons Schuhbeck lost his gastronomy empire and ended up in prison. But that may not be all - there are new allegations.

New accusations against Alfons Schuhbeck: The Munich I public prosecutor's office is also investigating the star chef, who is in prison for tax evasion, for delaying insolvency and fraud in connection with coronavirus aid. This was reported by the newspapers Münchner Merkur and tz (Friday edition). The spokeswoman for the public prosecutor's office, Anne Leiding, confirmed the investigations on Thursday on request.

According to her, the investigations in connection with eleven of the accused's companies are coming to an end and the proceedings are expected to be concluded soon. Schuhbeck's lawyer Norbert Scharf did not want to comment on this when asked by the German Press Agency.

Verdict for tax evasion of 2.3 million euros

Last year, Schuhbeck began his prison sentence for tax evasion. The Munich I Regional Court sentenced him to three years and two months in prison. It was convinced that he had evaded 2.3 million euros in taxes and had dipped into the tills of two of his restaurants more than 1,000 times to make money disappear. He admitted to using a computer program that an employee had created on his behalf.

Schuhbeck is now said to be a free man

Schuhbeck was initially imprisoned in Landsberg am Lech prison and has since been transferred to a branch of the prison in the Andechs district of Rothenfeld. The fact that he was transferred there is the last officially confirmed news about his situation after starting his sentence. The newspaper "Bild" reported at the time that Schuhbeck had been released and allowed to leave the prison temporarily. Neither the prison management nor Schuhbeck's lawyer would comment on how the former star chef is living there and what his situation is.

He cooked for the Queen and the Beatles

Schuhbeck was an integral part of Munich's Bussi-Bussi society for many years. He entertained celebrities and became one himself. He cooked for the Queen, the Beatles, Charlie Chaplin and, time and again, FC Bayern Munich and became one of the most famous chefs and restaurateurs in Germany.

His name was a brand for years. Schuhbeck built up a network of companies with three restaurants, a catering service, an ice cream parlor and spice stores. He worked 19 hours a day, he said on his 70th birthday five years ago. But Schuhbeck hit rock bottom. He filed for insolvency for his Munich restaurants, and last year insolvency proceedings were also opened against him personally.

In the meantime, only the spice stores remain of the former gastronomic empire. Schuhbeck also gave cooking courses again in the Munich store until shortly before he went to prison.

Schuhbeck 2022: "I did a lot of things wrong"

"I did a lot of things wrong", said Schuhbeck in court in 2022, before he was able to bring himself to make a more extensive confession. "I fooled myself, my friends and acquaintances and also my defense lawyers until the very end because I didn't want to admit that I had failed as a businessman." During the trial, he also said: "If I could undo it, I would do it immediately." And: "I am standing in front of the ruins of my life's work."

dpa