Raid in Görlitz: Entrepreneur Menzel arrested for gambling and fraud!

Raid in Görlitz: Entrepreneur Menzel arrested for gambling and fraud!

A comprehensive raid was recently carried out in Görlitz, involving the police, customs, state administration, tax office and the city administration. The aim of this large-scale campaign was eleven private and business premises that are connected to the entrepreneur Stefan Menzel. The entrepreneur was arrested while trying to hide a laptop from authorities. Loud Sächsische.de The reason for the raid was suspicion of bankruptcy, delay in insolvency, tax evasion and the unauthorized organization of gambling.

Menzel is no stranger to Görlitz. He is considered a controversial businessman who has both a following and numerous critics. He repeatedly found himself in the headlines. Particularly piquant: Menzel no longer has a permanent residence in Görlitz, which increases the dangers of escape and obscurity. A judge therefore decided to take him into custody. Its five operational casinos in the city have been temporarily closed and authorities have seized the money in the slot machines.

Background and allegations

Who is Stefan Menzel? The entrepreneur had a turbulent career, marked by a difficult youth, a fake high school diploma and a broken study in the Bundeswehr. He originally started in event organization before entering the casino industry and even running nine gaming halves at one point. His business acumen was also evident in other activities, such as rafting tours or film city tours. It was only in August 2023 that he launched an electric passenger ship on Lake Berzdorf, which attracted prominent guests to the christening.

But with success came problems. Since October 2023, there have been 29 complaints against Menzel, which are related to the operation of the passenger ship and, above all, denounce nature conservation violations. The latest developments are causing a stir, especially in the gaming industry, because the suspect is also accused of delaying insolvency and tax evasion. There were also indications of unauthorized gambling and violations of operator obligations. During the operation, the authorities discovered that the arcade did not have a gambling license and that there were deficiencies in player protection - a circumstance that particularly draws attention to the regulations of the State Treaty on Gambling, such as Gambling Authority.de describes.

Financial monstrosities

The raid brought a stir and uncovered a good amount of cash: around 190,000 euros and 400 kilograms of coins were confiscated. In addition to these sums, Menzel also has unmistakable trade tax debts of at least 185,000 euros to the city of Görlitz. In view of all these financial monstrosities, the entrepreneur plans to emigrate to the USA to find better conditions for his business.

The public prosecutor's office has now seized large amounts of data and sums of money, which are now being transferred into a comprehensive investigation. He remains innocent until possible conviction.

The situation in Görlitz is tense while Menzel and his businesses are the focus of the investigation. What happens next remains to be seen - but what is certain is that the authorities will continue to watch closely in the future.