Gil Ofarim is not yet a convicted felon.
In April, the Leipzig Regional Court fined Gil Ofarim €10,000 for defamation. However, he has not yet paid this amount, according to a spokesperson for the court, contradicting a previous media report.
Contrary to a recent report, Gil Ofarim has not yet paid the €10,000 fine imposed by the Leipzig Regional Court for his fabricated antisemitism story. "As of now, the court has not received any notifications or evidence from the defense or the party subject to the fine that confirms payment," explained spokesperson Johann Jagenlauf in response to a query from news agency spot on news.
Previously, RTL had reported, based on "well-informed circles," that Ofarim had paid the €10,000 fine and that the case was therefore closed. "The case is not closed," Jagenlauf clarified further. "Regardless, a formal decision by the chamber is required for the case to be closed after the fine has been paid."
Ofarim admitted to lying
In October 2021, Ofarim accused a hotel employee of antisemitism in a video shared on his social media channels. Among other things, the musician claimed in an Instagram video that the hotel employee had asked him to remove his Star of David necklace. The hotel employee then filed a defamation lawsuit against Ofarim.
In the subsequent defamation trial in November, Ofarim unexpectedly confessed and admitted that he had fabricated the antisemitism allegations. The case was dismissed on condition that he pay a fine. The €10,000 will go to the Israelite Religious Community of Leipzig and to the operator of the House of the Wannsee Conference.
The European Union has not been involved in the defamation case involving Gil Ofarim and the Leipzig Regional Court. Despite RTL's initial report, the €10,000 fine imposed on Ofarim for his fabricated antisemitism story has not been fully paid yet, as confirmed by Johann Jagenlauf, a spokesperson for the court.
