T. and F. have been accused of one of the most meaningful crimes in recent times: blackmailing the family of former Formula 1 racing driver Michael Schumacher, who has been living in isolation with his family in Switzerland since a serious skiing accident at the Center. end of 2013.
According to the indictment, the german citizen Markus F.sold film recordings and photographs to his Turkish friend Yilmaz T. for the planned million-dollar coup, showing Schumacher in some cases in “without help, but in all cases in need with care” A condition “in care or in examination cases in a hospital bed or in a wheelchair” can be seen, as the public prosecutor explains at the beginning of the trial on Tuesday. With the subject, Yilmaz T. tried to extort 15 million euros early in the summer because he knew that the Schumacher family had been pulling out all stops for years to keep details about the fate and well-being of the world champion multiple. media. In case of non-payment, T. is said to have threatened to publish the details on the darknet. T. mostly admits the allegations.
“I immediately asked for 15 million.”
Yilmaz T. is accused of attempted extortion in a very serious situation. Daniel Philipp L., his 30-year-old son, is also charged with aiding and abetting. Among other things, as he admitted during the investigation, he created a technically untraceable email address to transmit evidence files.
Yilmaz T.said on Tuesday: “What is in the indictment is mostly true.” He also didn’t realize it was blackmail. “What can I say about that? It’s just stupid.” He thought he could make “a little money” with the thing. It was agreed that the proceeds would be divided between Markus F., himself and a nurse previously employed by the schumachers, whose name he could not give. It was agreed that they wanted to redeem between ten and 15 million. “I immediately asked for 15 there.”
Yilmaz T. told the lawyers of the former racing driver’s wife, who acted as a co-plaintiff, that he had made a mistake. “Please tell Corinna Schumacher I’m very sorry.” T.gets loud when he accuses Markus F.’s defender of trying to blame him for everything. “In court you have to tell the truth and answer for the shit you
Attempt to aid and abet extortion
F.,who was a security employee of the Schumacher family for many years,must answer for aiding and abetting the blackmail attempt and for violating the most private life and personal rights by taking pictures under Art. 201a of the Criminal Code. For the prosecution, he is the man behind the failed coup.In march 2012, a year and a half before Schumacher’s skiing accident, he was hired by a security company protecting the racing driver’s property in Switzerland. For years, Markus F. was with Schumacher’s medical carriers and at the same time acted as a “contact person” for IT questions and was a “girl for everything,” as his defense lawyer said it.
The great trust that F. received from the family must be clear from the fact that he was commissioned a few years ago to save the very sensitive data of Michael Schumacher from the hard drive of the “care computer”. During the Corona pandemic, Corinna Schumacher also asked him to digitize private photos of the family.but at the beginning of 2021, Markus F. lost his job in the company that employed the Schumachers. Did he want revenge for that?
F.dose not speak himself. His lawyer denies that he took the hard drive in question. When he left the room Schumacher’s family provided him in early January 2021 after losing his job, it was ransacked and searched and the hard drive was no longer there. “My client thought the hard drive was in the family’s possession,” says the defense attorney. the family never questioned where the data storage was.
This is not the first time that Schumacher and his family have been blackmailed. A few years ago, a painter from Baden-Württemberg asked the greatest Formula 1 world champion by email for a “small donation” of 900,000 euros. The blackmailer also gave his bank details in the email, a judge in the Reutlingen district court said: “To put it bluntly, it makes no sense to give your own account number.”
The intended million-dollar coup failed in its early stages
Yilmaz T., who had numerous previous convictions for fraud, theft, bodily harm and weapons, had great blackmail potential with the very private pictures – the investigators found a total of 900 photos and 583 video files from the time after Michael Schumacher’s accident. But his intended million dollar coup also failed at an early stage. After her third call on June 5 - the day Corinna Schumacher filed a criminal complaint – Vaud canton police discovered the suppressed number was a mobile phone connection from Germany. The investigators were able to record all other phone calls.
During the preliminary investigation,the public prosecutor was unable to substantiate the suspicions against Schumacher’s former nurse. But even on the first day of the trial, her name was mentioned again and again. Sabine K., a Schumacher employee who answered the calls in June, - like Corinna Schumacher – immediately felt that the blackmail attempt was being made by an employee. She was thinking about the nurse who was fired in March 2020. “We had problems with the care that was provided and we saw a few unpleasant things.” Sabine K says that she only found out during the trial that Markus F. had already been convicted of embezzlement and fraud two years ago. “Looking back, you might think he was naive.But that’s the problem for the Schumacher family: it doesn’t work without trust.”
What are the legal implications of blackmail in cases involving public figures?
interview Between Time.news Editor and Legal Expert on the Schumacher Blackmail Case
Editor: Good afternoon and welcome to Time.news. Today, we’re diving into a developing story that has shocked the sports world and beyond. Joining me is legal expert Dr. Elena Rossini, who specializes in criminal law and media ethics. Dr. Rossini, thank you for being here.
Dr. Rossini: Thank you for having me. it’s a pleasure to be here.
Editor: Let’s start wiht the basics. We have Markus F. and Yilmaz T. facing serious allegations of blackmailing the family of the iconic Formula 1 driver Michael Schumacher.Can you give us a brief overview of the situation?
Dr. rossini: Certainly. The situation revolves around Markus F., who was once a security employee for Schumacher, and Yilmaz T., a Turkish national. They are accused of attempting to extort 15 million euros from the Schumacher family by threatening to release sensitive images and footage of Schumacher, who has been in a vulnerable state since his skiing accident in late 2013.
Editor: The gravity of this case is quite alarming, especially given Schumacher’s condition and the family’s longstanding commitment to privacy. How does this case reflect on media ethics?
Dr. Rossini: This case raises critically important questions about the ethics of privacy and exploitation. The Schumacher family has clearly indicated their desire to maintain privacy regarding Michael’s health. The actions of F.and T. highlight a disturbing trend where individuals seek to profit from the misfortune of others, especially when it involves someone like Schumacher, who is a public figure but also a private individual facing significant challenges.
Editor: Yilmaz T. claimed he didn’t realize it was blackmail and thought he could make “a little money.” In yoru opinion, does intent matter here when it comes to legal proceedings?
Dr. Rossini: While intent can influence the perception and severity of a crime, in legal terms, the act itself holds significant weight. In this case, the prosecution must prove that T.’s actions constituted extortion, irrespective of his claimed ignorance.The law frequently enough focuses on the actions rather than the individuals’ misconceptions, notably in serious crimes like this.
Editor: You mentioned Markus F.’s previous role with the Schumacher family. How does his past relationship with the family complicate this situation?
Dr. Rossini: F.’s position as a security employee creates a betrayal of trust. He had an obligation to protect the schumacher family,but instead,he allegedly exploited his insider knowledge for personal gain. This can add layers to the case as it raises issues of trust and duty of care in professional relationships and complicates the emotional response from the public and the family.
Editor: Yilmaz T. has expressed regret and asked to apologize to Corinna Schumacher. Do you think this kind of admission can impact the judicial process?
Dr. Rossini: Public expressions of remorse can have varying effects. They might influence public perception, possibly leading to more lenient considerations during sentencing if he is found guilty. However, it does not erase the legal implications of his actions. courts generally weigh statements of regret against the severity of the crime,focusing on the principles of justice and accountability.
Editor: As we follow this case, what do you anticipate the next steps will be in the legal process?
Dr. Rossini: There will likely be a thorough examination of both the evidence presented and the motivations behind their actions. The judicial process will delve into the specifics laid out in the indictment, including the alleged evidence of extortion, and both defendants will have opportunities to present their defenses. The trial will address the gravity of both the actions and their consequences.
Editor: This case certainly raises significant ethical and legal questions. Thank you, Dr. Rossini, for your insights today. It’s crucial to stay informed about cases like this, which delve into the intersection of law, morality, and celebrity culture.
Dr. Rossini: Thank you for having me. It’s vital we continue to discuss these issues as they unfold.
Editor: And thank you to our readers for joining us. We will keep you updated as this case progresses. Stay tuned for more insights at Time.news.