Alfons Schuhbeck confronted with new accusations
In the process of being prosecuted for tax evasion, Alfons Schuhbeck expressed remorse at the time. "I stand before the ruins of my life's work," he said and was sentenced to prison. Now it comes out: The Munich I Public Prosecutor's Office is investigating further allegations against him from the past.
New accusations against Alfons Schuhbeck: The Munich I Public Prosecutor's Office is also investigating him for insolvency fraud and fraud in connection with Corona-Aid. The star chef, who is in prison for tax evasion, is reportedly being investigated by the "Münchner Merkur" and "tz" newspapers. The spokeswoman of the Public Prosecutor's Office, Anne Leiding, confirmed the investigations upon request. The investigations are reportedly nearing their end, and the proceedings could be closed soon. Schuhbeck's lawyer Norbert Scharf declined to comment on the matter upon request.
Last year, Schuhbeck began serving his prison sentence for tax evasion. The Munich I Regional Court sentenced him to three years and two months in prison. The court was convinced that he had evaded paying 2.3 million euros in taxes and had taken more than 1000 instances of money from the cash registers of two of his restaurants to disappear. He admitted to using a computer program that an employee had created for him.
Initially, Schuhbeck was held in the Landsberg am Lech Detention Center, and more recently in an external facility of the JVA in the Andechser district of Rothenfeld. There has been no officially confirmed information about his situation since his imprisonment. The "Bild" newspaper reported at the time that Schuhbeck was granted leave and could temporarily leave the JVA. Neither the JVA management nor Schuhbeck's lawyer commented on his living conditions or current situation at the time.
"I have made many mistakes"
Schuhbeck was a fixture in Munich's Bussi-Bussi society for years. The 75-year-old entertained celebrities and became one himself. He cooked for the Queen, the Beatles, Charlie Chaplin, and the FC Bayern Munich, and became one of the most famous chefs and restaurateurs in the Republic.
His name was a brand for years. Schuhbeck built a business empire with three restaurants, a catering service, an ice cream parlor, and spice shops. He worked 19 hours a day, he said at his 70th birthday. But Schuhbeck fell deeply. He filed for insolvency for his Munich restaurants, and last year, an insolvency proceeding was opened against him personally. Only the spice shops remain of the once great gastronomic empire. Schuhbeck gave cooking courses in the Munich store until just before his imprisonment.
"I have made many mistakes," Schuhbeck said in court in 2022 before he could eventually bring himself to make a more extensive confession. "I deceived my friends, acquaintances, and even my defenders, because I didn't want to admit that I had failed as an entrepreneur." In the trial, he also said, "If I could undo it, I would do so immediately." And, "I stand before the ruins of my life's work."
- Despite facing investigations for insolvency fraud and fraud in relation to Corona-Aid, Alfons Schuhbeck's gastronomic empire has seen a significant decline, with only his spice shops still operating.
- The public prosecutor's office is reportedly nearing the end of its investigations into allegations of insolvency fraud and Corona-aid fraud against Schuhbeck, who is currently serving a prison sentence for tax evasion.
- Amidst the Corona crisis, Schuhbeck's food business faced financial difficulties, leading him to file for insolvency for his Munich restaurants and triggering further investigations by the public prosecutor's office.
