Investigations against State Secretary Schmülling: Corona mask scandal!

Investigations against State Secretary Schmülling: Corona mask scandal!

A scandal surrounding the procurement of corona masks is currently causing a stir in Germany. The focus of the investigation is Interior State Secretary Wolfgang Schmülling, against whom the Schwerin public prosecutor's office is investigating for aiding and abetting breach of trust. The allegations revolve around the purchase and distribution of protective masks that were made in 2020. On September 17, 2025, Schmülling's offices in the Ministry of the Interior as well as the office of Andreas Walus, the head of the State Office for Police Technology, Fire and Disaster Protection (LPBK), were searched. This resulted in financial damage amounting to around 430,000 euros, which makes the situation all the more explosive. Walus is also accused of not informing Schmülling about the statute of limitations on claims, which led to serious mismanagement.

The CDU opposition is not sleeping: it is calling for the resignation of Schmülling and Interior Minister Christian Pegel (SPD). An additional problem arises from the controversial promotions of Walus, which Schmülling brought about twice in a very short space of time. These measures not only received a lot of criticism internally, but are also the focus of discussions in the state parliament's Interior Committee.

Suspicion of infidelity in the Ministry of Health

But the issue of masks is not only the focus of the Ministry of the Interior. The Ministry of Health is also not without allegations: here, prosecutors investigated a high-ranking official for breach of trust in ordering masks from the Emix company. In April 2020, the official in question requested approval for the purchase of 100 million FFP2 masks from Jens Spahn, the then Minister of Health. The order totaled a total of 540 million euros, with the unit price being 5.40 euros. It is inglorious that of the 5.7 billion corona masks that the federal government purchased during the pandemic and paid for 5.9 billion euros, more than half were not distributed to the population and ultimately had to be destroyed senselessly.

A report on these mask sales has brought serious accusations against former Health Minister Karl Lauterbach. Despite the critical situation, the official was not promoted during the investigation in order to avoid the impression of irregularities. This official argues that there are no other options for action in the emergency situation.

Unclear contract awards and high profits for companies

The Federal Audit Office has found clear words about the Ministry of Health's ordering practice: cheaper offers were available, but were not sufficiently taken into account. This lack of information regarding the procurement of masks is classified as a serious error, which significantly questions the state's spending practices in crisis situations. The accusation of wasting taxpayers' money due to the high-priced orders to Emix, which made a profit of an estimated 300 million euros during the pandemic, is likely to be particularly serious.

Jens Spahn's latest statements about mask procurement are also making people sit up and take notice. He admits that the middlemen have high margins, but maintains that no wrong decisions were made. This calls into question the allegations of opposition representatives, who are calling for a committee of inquiry to fully examine the irregularities. The Greens and the Left do not have enough votes for such a committee, but the governing factions of the Union and SPD are planning a study commission to generally examine the corona pandemic.

What happens next remains to be seen. However, the ongoing investigations and political reactions show that the issue of mask procurement is far from over.