Who was sanctioned, and for what?

A head of unit at the Higher Regional Court of Jena (OLG Jena) responsible for budget, procurement and personnel of the Thuringian judiciary obtained fourteen loans (375 to 10,000 EUR) from two co-defendants between 2013 and 2019, coupled with the tacit expectation that he would take them into account when awarding contracts; he also concluded service contracts in breach of public procurement law (damage exceeding 450,000 EUR). The Regional Court of Gera (LG Gera) imposed an aggregate suspended prison sentence of two years and confiscation. Germany's Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof, BGH) upheld the conviction for accepting benefits (Vorteilsannahme, not Bestechlichkeit, i.e. taking bribes) in 13 cases, discontinued one time-barred case and set aside the aggregate sentence and the amount of the daily fine rate; the defendant's appeal on points of law will be decided separately.

Authority / court

Bundesgerichtshof (2. Strafsenat); Vorinstanz Landgericht Gera

Area of law

Bribery and corruption · Bribery of public officials

Legal basis

§ 331 StGB (Vorteilsannahme), § 266 StGB (Untreue); BGH 2 StR 554/25

Action

Custodial sentence

Status of proceedings

under appeal

Sector

Public sector

Culpability

intentional

Liability of senior managers

The former head of unit (a management function in the judicial administration) was convicted; two lenders were co-defendants.

Published

23 Sep 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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From December 2022, an auditor and tax adviser processed payments of another limited company totalling around 1.26 million EUR through the bank account of his tax advisory company, which was held as an own account, without disclosing this to the bank – according to the court, deliberately in order to avoid a compliance review. The Austrian Federal Administrative Court (Bundesverwaltungsgericht, BVwG) upheld the fine of 30,000 EUR imposed on him by the Financial Market Authority (Finanzmarktaufsicht, FMA) in its penalty decision of 27 November 2025, in his capacity as managing director of the account-holding company, which is liable for the penalty; an ordinary appeal on points of law is not admissible.

Authority / court

Bundesverwaltungsgericht (BVwG); Straferkenntnis der Finanzmarktaufsicht (FMA) vom 27.11.2025

Area of law

Money laundering and terrorist financing · Customer due diligence

Legal basis

§ 6 Abs. 3 FM-GwG (Offenlegung des Handelns auf fremde Rechnung) i. V. m. § 34 Abs. 5 FM-GwG; § 9 Abs. 1 und 7 VStG

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Other

Culpability

intentional

Liability of senior managers

Fine imposed on the managing director personally; liability of the company under Section 9(7) VStG (Austrian Administrative Penal Act)

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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On 29 May 2024, the Vienna broadcaster W24 aired advertising in split screen within the programme ‘24 Stunden Wien’, did not adequately separate advertising from programming and, at around 50 minutes, significantly exceeded the permitted 12 minutes of advertising per hour. The Austrian Communications Authority (Kommunikationsbehörde Austria, KommAustria) imposed fines totalling 500 EUR (plus 50 EUR in costs) on the body authorised to represent the company externally; the GmbH is jointly and severally liable under § 9 (7) VStG (Austrian Administrative Penal Act).

Authority / court

Kommunikationsbehörde Austria (KommAustria)

Area of law

Consumer protection and online retail · Misleading advertising and pricing

Legal basis

§ 64 Abs. 2 Z 9 i. V. m. §§ 43 Abs. 2, 44 Abs. 1, 45 Abs. 1 AMD-G; § 9 VStG

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Media and online platforms

Culpability

negligent

Mitigating circumstances

No previous record, duration of proceedings, remorseful confession and remedial measures initiated.

Liability of senior managers

Fine imposed on the body responsible externally (§ 9 (1) VStG); the company is jointly and severally liable.

Published

19 Aug 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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A German haulage operator deployed 40 foreign drivers from two affiliated Lithuanian transport companies under his sole direction; the hiring-out of workers was disguised as a contract for work and services (Werkvertrag), and there was no licence from the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit). Final fines: 20,000 EUR against the Lithuanian managing director and 15,000 EUR against the German hirer (date = publication).

Authority / court

Hauptzollamt Lörrach (Finanzkontrolle Schwarzarbeit)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Minimum wage and undeclared work

Legal basis

Arbeitnehmerüberlassungsgesetz (Überlassung ohne Erlaubnis)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Transport, logistics and shipping

Liability of senior managers

Fines imposed personally on the managing director of the lending company and on the hirer.

Published

12 Aug 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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From around 2010 to September 2019, six suppliers of thin cold-laid asphalt surface layers (Dünne Asphaltdeckschichten in Kaltbauweise, DSK) allocated customers – primarily public contracting authorities – and contracts among themselves nationwide and coordinated prices. Germany's Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) imposed fines of around 60.3 million EUR; all proceedings ended in settlements.

Authority / court

Bundeskartellamt

Area of law

Competition law · Cartels and collusion

Legal basis

§ 1 GWB, Art. 101 AEUV

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Construction and real estate

Mitigating circumstances

Leniency bonus for Possehl/VSI, Bitunova, Kutter and AS; settlement

Published

6 Aug 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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In the programme ‘Sport aktuell’ on ORF 1 on 29 July 2025, a logo wall was visible as product placement without being labelled. The Austrian Communications Authority (Kommunikationsbehörde Austria, KommAustria) found, with final effect, a violation of the ORF Act (ORF-Gesetz).

Authority / court

Kommunikationsbehörde Austria (KommAustria)

Area of law

Consumer protection and online retail · Misleading advertising and pricing

Legal basis

§ 16 Abs. 5 Z 4 ORF-G

Action

Order

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Media and online platforms

Published

29 Jul 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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Maxxis guaranteed wholesalers fixed margins per tyre sold of the Maxxis and CST brands, monitored prices in particular on the Tyre24 platform and intervened when prices were too low. Germany's Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) imposed fines totalling 11.9 million EUR on three companies and one responsible individual.

Authority / court

Bundeskartellamt

Area of law

Competition law · Cartels and collusion

Legal basis

§ 1 GWB (vertikale Preisbindung)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Automotive

Mitigating circumstances

Settlement with Maxxis and Reifen Müller

Liability of senior managers

Fine imposed on one responsible natural person (not named)

Published

21 Jul 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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The managing director under commercial law of a GmbH (anonymised in the decision as ‘L GmbH’, insolvent in 2025) had underpaid twelve employees by considerable amounts, partly in 2023 and predominantly in 2024. The Vienna municipal authority (Magistrat der Stadt Wien) imposed 38,000 EUR, and the Vienna Administrative Court (Verwaltungsgericht Wien) reduced this to 15,000 EUR; Austria's Supreme Administrative Court (Verwaltungsgerichtshof, VwGH) rejected the appeal on points of law (Ra 2026/11/0064).

Authority / court

Verwaltungsgerichtshof (Vorinstanzen: Magistrat der Stadt Wien, Verwaltungsgericht Wien)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Minimum wage and undeclared work

Legal basis

§ 29 Abs. 1 Lohn- und Sozialdumping-Bekämpfungsgesetz (LSD-BG)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

reduced

Mitigating circumstances

Reduction of the fine by the Vienna Administrative Court.

Liability of senior managers

The fine is directed against the managing director under commercial law.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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Germany's Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht, BaFin) imposed a fine of 240,000 EUR on the software company because it had not disclosed the information about a cyberattack it had suffered as inside information without delay. The fine notice is final.

Authority / court

Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin)

Area of law

Capital markets and financial supervision · Disclosure and reporting obligations

Legal basis

Art. 17 Abs. 1 UAbs. 1 MAR (EU) Nr. 596/2014

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Telecoms, IT and software

Published

20 Jul 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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On the confirmation page of its online cancellation process, a gym operator displayed a highlighted notice with the button "Pause contract via self-service"; in addition, the confirmation button was labelled "Find contract", which the defendant had already acknowledged. In an action brought by the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband), the BGH ruled that the confirmation page may only contain the information required for the cancellation and the confirmation button, set aside the judgment of the Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf (OLG Düsseldorf) dismissing the action to that extent and ordered the operator to cease and desist.

Authority / court

Bundesgerichtshof (I. Zivilsenat), Az. I ZR 200/25

Area of law

Consumer protection and online retail · Information duties in online retail

Legal basis

§ 312k Abs. 1 Satz 1, Abs. 2 BGB (Kündigungsbutton)

Action

Order

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Other

Published

16 Jul 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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From 2016 to 2022, three distributors of test and measuring equipment coordinated discounts as essential price components and informed each other of customer contacts, usually with a request for "restraint". This was evidenced by more than 400 emails; the proceedings ended in settlements.

Authority / court

Bundeskartellamt

Area of law

Competition law · Cartels and collusion

Legal basis

§ 1 GWB

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Mitigating circumstances

Settlement; cooperation by Elektronik-Kontor Messtechnik taken into account

Published

15 Jul 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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Germany's Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) imposed fines totalling 210,000 EUR on the cooperative bank: business relationships were not monitored on an ongoing basis or with enhanced scrutiny, additional information was not obtained and suspicious activity reports were not filed or were filed late. The function of the money laundering reporting officer had been outsourced to an external service provider with several clients.

Authority / court

Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin)

Area of law

Money laundering and terrorist financing · Customer due diligence

Legal basis

§ 56 Abs. 1 S. 1 Nr. 20, 36, 38 und 69 GwG; Bekanntmachung nach § 57 GwG

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Financial services and insurance

Published

17 Sep 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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The Baltimore-based US asset manager had not submitted voting rights notifications to the issuer and BaFin in time; the deadline is four trading days after reaching a notifiable threshold. BaFin imposed a fine of 187,500 EUR; the notice is final.

Authority / court

Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin)

Area of law

Capital markets and financial supervision · Disclosure and reporting obligations

Legal basis

§ 33 Abs. 1 Satz 1 WpHG

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Financial services and insurance

Published

22 Jul 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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The company had stored statistically calculated ‘party affinities’ for around 2.2 million people and in some cases sold them to advertising clients – special categories of personal data without consent; in addition, parcel frequency data was further processed for incompatible purposes. The Austrian Data Protection Authority (Datenschutzbehörde, DSB) had imposed 18 million EUR in 2019 and the Federal Administrative Court (Bundesverwaltungsgericht, BVwG) 16 million EUR in 2024; Austria's Supreme Administrative Court (Verwaltungsgerichtshof, VwGH) has now set the fine with final effect at 13 million EUR (plus 100,000 EUR in procedural costs).

Authority / court

Verwaltungsgerichtshof (Ausgangsbescheid: Datenschutzbehörde)

Area of law

Data protection · Marketing and consent

Legal basis

DSGVO Art. 5 Abs. 1 lit. a und b, Art. 6 Abs. 4, Art. 9 Abs. 1 (VwGH Ro 2025/04/0007)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

reduced

Sector

Other

Culpability

negligent

Mitigating circumstances

Comprehensive cooperation, deletion of the party affinities, settlements with data subjects, long duration of proceedings (5 years, 10 months).

Published

16 Jul 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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BaFin imposed fines on the battery manufacturer because it had not disclosed inside information without delay and had not published the half-yearly financial report for the 2024 financial year.

Authority / court

Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin)

Area of law

Capital markets and financial supervision · Disclosure and reporting obligations

Legal basis

Art. 17 Abs. 1 UAbs. 1 MAR; § 115 Abs. 1 Satz 1 WpHG

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Published

1 Jul 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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The debt collection company posted personal data of alleged debtors on the internet, some of it particularly sensitive, in order to obtain information on their whereabouts and to warn third parties. The Swiss Federal Administrative Court (Bundesverwaltungsgericht, A-3891/2025) upheld the ruling of the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (EDÖB) of 28 April 2025, according to which this constitutes an unjustified violation of privacy.

Authority / court

Bundesverwaltungsgericht (A-3891/2025) auf Verfügung des EDÖB vom 28.04.2025

Area of law

Data protection · Data subject rights and transparency

Legal basis

DSG Art. 6, Art. 19, Art. 31

Action

Order

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Financial services and insurance

Published

20 Aug 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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In 2019, the Berlin Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (BlnBDI) had imposed 14.5 million EUR on the housing group because tenant data such as salary statements, bank statements and social security data were held in an archive system with no means of deletion. Following the 2023 CJEU judgment on direct corporate liability, the Berlin Regional Court (Landgericht Berlin I) confirmed on 9 June 2026 infringements of data minimisation and storage limitation; the press release does not state the amount of the fine set by the court.

Authority / court

Landgericht Berlin I (Bußgeldbehörde: Berliner Beauftragte für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit)

Area of law

Data protection · Data breaches and data security

Legal basis

Art. 5, Art. 25 Abs. 1 DSGVO

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Construction and real estate

Liability of senior managers

According to the CJEU (C-807/21), a breach of duty by a person in a management position need not be proven for the corporate fine.

Published

10 Jun 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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A processor of Berlin's public transport operator BVG, which had sent customer letters in early 2025, was hacked; around 180,000 customer records were affected, although they should long since have been deleted after the end of the contract. BVG had never checked the deletion, had not agreed any procedure for data breaches in the data processing agreement and reported the incident only after the 72-hour deadline had expired; the Berlin Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (BlnBDI) issued a reprimand.

Authority / court

Berliner Beauftragte für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit (BlnBDI)

Area of law

Data protection · Data processors

Legal basis

Art. 5 Abs. 2 i. V. m. Abs. 1 lit. c, e, f, Art. 28 Abs. 3 S. 2 lit. f, Art. 32 Abs. 1, Art. 33 DSGVO

Action

Reprimand or warning

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Transport, logistics and shipping

Mitigating circumstances

BVG has announced measures against similar incidents.

Published

4 May 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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Both companies continued to use e-mail addresses and telephone numbers from online purchases for advertising, although data subjects had objected – in some cases after deletion had been confirmed. The Swiss Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (Eidgenössischer Datenschutz- und Öffentlichkeitsbeauftragter, EDÖB) ordered the processing for advertising to cease and the data to be deleted on request.

Authority / court

Eidgenössischer Datenschutz- und Öffentlichkeitsbeauftragter (EDÖB)

Area of law

Data protection · Marketing and consent

Legal basis

DSG Art. 6, Art. 30 Abs. 2 lit. b, Art. 31

Action

Order

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Retail and e-commerce

Published

26 Jun 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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A German import company declared aluminium foil for hairdressers made in China as goods originating in Myanmar in order to evade anti-dumping duties; a company set up specifically for this purpose in Myanmar carried out only minimal processing, which did not change the origin. Around 610,000 EUR was evaded, plus around 140,000 EUR from seven direct sales to unsuspecting German customers. Following charges brought by the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) in Cologne, the Krefeld District Court sentenced the Chinese national responsible to one year and eight months suspended and a fine of 100,000 EUR; more than 321,000 EUR was confiscated, and the proceedings against a second accused were discontinued subject to a monetary condition.

Authority / court

Gericht in Krefeld (Krefeld District Court); Anklage: Europäische Staatsanwaltschaft (EPPO) Köln; Ermittlungen Zollfahndungsamt Essen

Area of law

Sanctions and export control · Customs

Legal basis

Hinterziehung von EU-Antidumpingzöllen (Einfuhrabgaben) auf Aluminiumfolie aus China; Ursprungsregeln des EU-Zollrechts

Action

Custodial sentence

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Steel and metals

Culpability

intentional

Published

31 Mar 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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The automotive supplier's business figures for the first quarter of 2024 deviated significantly from market expectations; this inside information was not disclosed without delay by means of an ad hoc announcement. BaFin imposed a fine.

Authority / court

Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin)

Area of law

Capital markets and financial supervision · Disclosure and reporting obligations

Legal basis

Art. 17 Abs. 1 UAbs. 1 MAR

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Automotive

Published

26 Mar 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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A car dealer from the Bavarian Lower Main region specialising in armoured and luxury vehicles brought 111 vehicles worth almost 20 million EUR to Russia, and around 400 further vehicles were planned. The white-collar crime chamber of the Würzburg Regional Court (Landgericht Würzburg) sentenced the owner to six years' imprisonment and the former authorised signatory (Prokuristin) to two years suspended, and ordered the confiscation of around 20 million EUR; the judgment is not final.

Authority / court

Landgericht Würzburg (Wirtschaftsstrafkammer); Ermittlungen Zollfahndungsamt Essen und Staatsanwaltschaft Würzburg

Area of law

Sanctions and export control · Breaches of sanctions and embargoes

Legal basis

Außenwirtschaftsgesetz i. V. m. Russland-Embargoverordnung (EU) Nr. 833/2014 (gewerbsmäßig)

Action

Custodial sentence

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Automotive

Culpability

intentional

Liability of senior managers

Owner (Andreas M.) six years' imprisonment; former authorised signatory (Inna W.) two years suspended.

Published

2 Mar 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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Following enforcement proceedings, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) found serious, systematic deficiencies in anti-money laundering due diligence, organisation and risk management; the bank enabled clients to circumvent official asset freezes and executed transactions for sanctioned persons. FINMA had withdrawn the bank's licence and ordered its liquidation; with the withdrawal of the appeal before the Federal Administrative Court, the orders took effect on 27 February 2026. The day before, FinCEN had proposed designating the bank as an institution of primary money laundering concern.

Authority / court

Eidgenössische Finanzmarktaufsicht (FINMA)

Area of law

Money laundering and terrorist financing · Internal controls

Legal basis

Schweizer Geldwäschereirecht und Bankenaufsichtsrecht (laut FINMA)

Action

Order

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Financial services and insurance

Employees

50 to 249

Published

27 Feb 2026

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A Romanian construction firm, acting as a subcontractor for a Düsseldorf client, deployed 15 workers on a construction site in the district of Emmendingen without registering them for social insurance; the loss amounted to around 85,000 EUR. The managing director received a final penalty order (Strafbefehl) of 15,000 EUR and a fine of 1,316 EUR (date = publication).

Authority / court

Amtsgericht Kenzingen / Hauptzollamt Lörrach (Finanzkontrolle Schwarzarbeit)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Minimum wage and undeclared work

Legal basis

§ 266a StGB (Vorenthalten und Veruntreuen von Arbeitsentgelt); SGB IV (Meldepflichten)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Construction and real estate

Culpability

intentional

Liability of senior managers

Managing director personally convicted by penalty order.

Published

23 Feb 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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From 2017 to 2020, an Austrian bank specialising in private and investment banking had not adequately examined the ownership and control structure of an offshore holding client despite the lack of evidence on shareholders, trust arrangements and beneficial owners. The Austrian Federal Administrative Court (Bundesverwaltungsgericht, BVwG) confirmed the infringement but reduced the additional penalty imposed by the Financial Market Authority (Finanzmarktaufsicht, FMA) in its penalty decision of 17 December 2024 from 476,000 to 356,000 EUR (total penalty 436,000 EUR less FMA penalties already paid), because the FMA had taken the seriousness of the offence into account twice and the bank had cooperated, admitted its errors and terminated the client relationship; an appeal on points of law has been permitted.

Authority / court

Bundesverwaltungsgericht (BVwG); Straferkenntnis der Finanzmarktaufsicht (FMA) vom 17.12.2024

Area of law

Money laundering and terrorist financing · Customer due diligence

Legal basis

§ 9 Abs. 1 erster Satz i. V. m. § 6 Abs. 1 Z 2 FM-GwG; § 35 Abs. 1 und 3 i. V. m. § 34 Abs. 1 Z 2 und Abs. 2 FM-GwG; § 22 Abs. 9 FMABG (Zusatzstrafe)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

reduced

Sector

Financial services and insurance

Culpability

negligent

Mitigating circumstances

Reduction by the court because the wrongfulness of the offence had been counted twice, cooperation, admission of the facts and of guilt, and termination of the client relationship

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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The Austrian Federal Administrative Court (Bundesverwaltungsgericht, BVwG) dismissed the appeal of a listed major Austrian bank and upheld the fine of 588,000 EUR (plus 58,800 EUR in procedural costs) imposed by the Financial Market Authority (Finanzmarktaufsicht, FMA) in its penalty decision of 19 November 2024. From 2017 to 2020, the bank had not adequately risk-classified three business relationships and had disregarded sector risks such as gambling and precious metals trading as well as cash intensity; an appeal on points of law has been permitted.

Authority / court

Bundesverwaltungsgericht (BVwG); Straferkenntnis der Finanzmarktaufsicht (FMA) vom 19.11.2024

Area of law

Money laundering and terrorist financing · Customer due diligence

Legal basis

§ 6 Abs. 5 i. V. m. § 34 Abs. 1 Z 2 und § 35 Abs. 1–3 FM-GwG

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Financial services and insurance

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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A treatment facility for non-hazardous waste was permitted for a maximum of 150,000 t of annual deliveries and 60,000 t of storage, but accepted around 188,000 t and 224,000 t in 2021 and 2022 respectively and at times stored 173,000 t. The Lower Austria Regional Administrative Court (Landesverwaltungsgericht Niederösterreich, LVwG) upheld the penalty imposed on the responsible officer for modifying the facility without a permit but reduced the fine from 8,400 to 6,000 EUR (LVwG-S-1039/004-2024).

Authority / court

Landesverwaltungsgericht Niederösterreich (Straferkenntnis der Bezirkshauptmannschaft Baden)

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Waste and hazardous substances

Legal basis

§ 79 Abs. 1 Z 9 i. V. m. § 37 Abs. 3 Z 5 AWG 2002; § 9 Abs. 2 VStG i. V. m. § 26 Abs. 6 AWG 2002

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

reduced

Sector

Other

Repeat case

yes

Mitigating circumstances

Disproportionately long proceedings (§ 34 (2) StGB, Austrian Criminal Code) as the only mitigating factor; the officer's relevant previous convictions were an aggravating factor.

Liability of senior managers

The penalty was imposed on the company's responsible officer appointed under § 9 (2) VStG.

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The managing director of a Polish construction company with twelve employees (anonymised in the decision as ‘P Sp. z o.o.’), which was working as a subcontractor on a motorway bridge construction site in Upper Austria, had paid five rebar benders below the collectively agreed wage in March 2023. The Gmunden district authority (Bezirkshauptmannschaft Gmunden) imposed 12,500 EUR, and the Upper Austria Regional Administrative Court (Landesverwaltungsgericht Oberösterreich) reduced this to 11,000 EUR; Austria's Supreme Administrative Court (Verwaltungsgerichtshof, VwGH) rejected the appeal on points of law (Ra 2025/11/0196).

Authority / court

Verwaltungsgerichtshof (Vorinstanzen: Bezirkshauptmannschaft Gmunden, Landesverwaltungsgericht Oberösterreich)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Minimum wage and undeclared work

Legal basis

§ 29 Abs. 1 Lohn- und Sozialdumping-Bekämpfungsgesetz (LSD-BG)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

reduced

Sector

Construction and real estate

Employees

Under 50

Mitigating circumstances

Reduction of the fine by the Regional Administrative Court.

Liability of senior managers

The fine is directed against the managing director as the person responsible under administrative criminal law.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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The Bezirkshauptmannschaft (district administrative authority) penalised the managing director of a Tyrolean hospital operator because in September 2022 physicians had not been granted sufficient rest periods after extended shifts and maximum duty hours had been exceeded; the Regional Administrative Court set aside several counts because the time clock data were said to have been incorrect. On an official appeal on points of law (Amtsrevision) by the Minister of Labour, the Verwaltungsgerichtshof (Austrian Supreme Administrative Court, VwGH) partly set aside that ruling: witness statements alone are not sufficient to rebut time clock records.

Authority / court

Verwaltungsgerichtshof (VwGH); Strafbehörde: Bezirkshauptmannschaft Innsbruck

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Working time

Legal basis

§§ 4 Abs. 4 Z 1, 7 Abs. 3, 11 Abs. 1, 12 Abs. 1 Krankenanstalten-Arbeitszeitgesetz (KA-AZG); § 9 VStG

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Healthcare

Liability of senior managers

Fines imposed on the managing director under commercial law; liability of the company under § 9(7) VStG.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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Between June and December 2023, a logistics and transport business withheld a total of around 2,000 EUR in minimum wages from several employees, breached reporting and immediate notification obligations, and in July/August 2023 employed a foreign national without a residence permit. The fines: 5,231 EUR (minimum wage), 750 EUR each (reporting obligations) and 7,000 EUR (unauthorised employment of foreign nationals), totalling 13,731 EUR (date = publication).

Authority / court

Hauptzollamt Karlsruhe (Finanzkontrolle Schwarzarbeit)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Minimum wage and undeclared work

Legal basis

§ 21 Abs. 1 Nr. 11 MiLoG; § 111 Abs. 1 Nr. 2 SGB IV; § 404 Abs. 2 Nr. 3 SGB III

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Transport, logistics and shipping

Published

22 Jan 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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The agency conducted telephone pre-screening interviews with applicants on behalf of client companies, recorded them without valid consent, stored them indefinitely and presented itself as the client company in doing so. The Austrian Data Protection Authority (Datenschutzbehörde, DSB) imposed 25,500 EUR (plus 2,550 EUR in costs) for lack of a legal basis and transparency; the company has lodged an appeal against the amount of the fine with the Federal Administrative Court (Bundesverwaltungsgericht).

Authority / court

Datenschutzbehörde

Area of law

Data protection · Data subject rights and transparency

Legal basis

DSGVO Art. 5 Abs. 1 lit. a, c und e, Art. 6 Abs. 1, Art. 12, 13

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

under appeal

Sector

Other

Employees

Under 50

Mitigating circumstances

No relevant previous violations, cooperation in the proceedings; adjustment of the starting amount to the company's small size.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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A Bulgarian construction company that worked as a subcontractor for a German firm on a major construction site in the district of Tuttlingen between January and May 2023 paid below the minimum wage, recorded only the duration of working time rather than its start and end, and did not register the posting. The decisions issued in September 2025, final since the end of 2025, amount to 232,500 EUR – of which 215,000 EUR is disgorgement of the economic benefit and 17,500 EUR is imposed on the managing director (date = publication; exact date of the decision not specified).

Authority / court

Hauptzollamt Singen (Finanzkontrolle Schwarzarbeit)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Minimum wage and undeclared work

Legal basis

Mindestlohngesetz; Arbeitnehmer-Entsendegesetz (Aufzeichnungs- und Meldepflichten)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Construction and real estate

Liability of senior managers

Separate fine of 17,500 EUR against the managing director.

Published

9 Jan 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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The Arnsberg regional government (Bezirksregierung Arnsberg), as anti-money laundering supervisor for the non-financial sector, imposed a fine of 379,503.50 EUR, final since 16 December 2025, on the furniture retailer as a dealer in goods for breach of due diligence obligations under the German Money Laundering Act (Geldwäschegesetz, GwG). Karl-Ernst Hardeck is named as the person responsible for the company.

Authority / court

Bezirksregierung Arnsberg (Geldwäscheaufsicht Nichtfinanzsektor)

Area of law

Money laundering and terrorist financing · Customer due diligence

Legal basis

Geldwäschegesetz (Sorgfaltspflichten); Bekanntmachung nach § 57 GwG

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Retail and e-commerce

Liability of senior managers

The announcement names Karl-Ernst Hardeck as the person responsible for the infringement

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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The Munich II Regional Court (Landgericht München II) had sentenced a head of department in diesel engine development and a former head of powertrain development for fraud in 94,924 cases to one year and nine months and two years respectively, and the former CEO of A AG for fraud in 17,177 cases to one year and nine months, in each case suspended on probation. They were responsible for unlawful defeat devices or failed to intervene despite having knowledge of them; the loss to buyers amounted to around 2.32 billion EUR. Germany's Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof, BGH) dismissed the appeals on points of law (1 StR 270/24).

Authority / court

Bundesgerichtshof (1. Strafsenat); Vorinstanz Landgericht München II (Urteil vom 27.06.2023)

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

§ 263 StGB (Betrug); unzulässige Abschalteinrichtungen nach US- und EU-Zulassungsrecht

Action

Custodial sentence

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Automotive

Culpability

intentional

Mitigating circumstances

Prison sentences suspended on probation in each case.

Liability of senior managers

Those convicted were a head of department (P.), a former head of powertrain development and later board member (H.), and the former CEO of A AG (S.), who took no action despite the serious possibility of further defeat devices.

Published

19 Dec 2025

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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A 55-year-old former managing director from the Tübingen area is alleged to have supplied five machine tools worth around 1.7 million EUR to Russia via various third countries between October 2023 and December 2024. The Stuttgart Local Court (Amtsgericht Stuttgart) issued an arrest warrant and an asset freeze of around 1.5 million EUR; premises searched included a freight forwarder in Duisburg. The investigations by the Stuttgart public prosecutor's office and customs investigation office are ongoing (date = press release).

Authority / court

Amtsgericht Stuttgart (Haftbefehl, Vermögensarrest); Staatsanwaltschaft Stuttgart; Zollfahndungsamt Stuttgart

Area of law

Sanctions and export control · Breaches of sanctions and embargoes

Legal basis

Außenwirtschaftsgesetz i. V. m. Verordnung (EU) Nr. 833/2014

Action

Order

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Liability of senior managers

Former managing director in pre-trial detention.

Published

19 Nov 2025

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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Two employers remunerated part-time workers solely by providing a company car. Germany's Federal Social Court (Bundessozialgericht, BSG) upheld the German pension insurance's claims for additional contributions: the benefit in kind does not satisfy the minimum wage entitlement, and contributions must be paid on the minimum wage owed (B 12 BA 8/24 R, B 12 BA 6/23 R).

Authority / court

Bundessozialgericht, 12. Senat (Betriebsprüfung: Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Minimum wage and undeclared work

Legal basis

§ 1 MiLoG; § 28p SGB IV (Betriebsprüfung)

Action

Order

Status of proceedings

final

Published

14 Nov 2025

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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In 2018, an employee died on the premises of a company (anonymised in the judgment as ‘D. AG’) when a steel lorry trailer chassis weighing around two tonnes fell while being lifted by crane: an unprotected lifting sling tore on a sharp edge, edge protection was missing, the employees had not been trained to keep out of the danger zone of suspended loads, and requirements imposed by SUVA (the Swiss accident insurance fund) in 2013/2014 had not been implemented. The Swiss Federal Supreme Court (Bundesgericht) upheld the convictions for negligent homicide against the managing director (180 daily rates of 410 CHF, suspended) and the safety officer (180 daily rates of 170 CHF, suspended), totalling 104,400 CHF (6B_521/2025, 6B_523/2025).

Authority / court

Schweizerisches Bundesgericht (Vorinstanz: Kantonsgericht Freiburg, Strafappellationshof)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

Art. 117 StGB (fahrlässige Tötung) i. V. m. Sorgfaltspflichten der Arbeitssicherheit

Action

Other

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Culpability

negligent

Mitigating circumstances

Monetary penalties imposed on a suspended basis.

Liability of senior managers

Managing director and safety officer personally convicted of negligent homicide.

Original amount 104,400 CHF, converted at the ECB reference rate of 12 Nov 2025.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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By decision of 28 October 2025 (final since 7 November 2025), Germany's Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) imposed a fine of 20,000 EUR because, from October 2022 to September 2023, the Landesbank operated data processing systems for money laundering prevention that were only partially adequate. Under the German Banking Act (KWG), the criteria by which monitoring identifies suspicious transactions must be documented, and the systems must be checked regularly by an independent auditor.

Authority / court

Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin)

Area of law

Money laundering and terrorist financing · Internal controls

Legal basis

§ 56 Abs. 2 Nr. 11b KWG (Betrieb angemessener Datenverarbeitungssysteme zur Geldwäscheprävention)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Financial services and insurance

Published

10 Dec 2025

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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By decision of 13 October 2025 (final since 30 October 2025), Germany's Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) imposed a fine of 45 million EUR on J.P. Morgan SE because the institution had culpably breached its duty of supervision in the internal processes for filing money laundering suspicious activity reports; from 4 October 2021 to 30 September 2022, suspicious activity reports were systematically not filed on time. BaFin points out that, in the case of systematic infringements, the amount of the fine can be based on the institution's total turnover.

Authority / court

Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin)

Area of law

Money laundering and terrorist financing · Suspicious activity reports

Legal basis

§ 130 Abs. 1 OWiG (Aufsichtspflichtverletzung) i. V. m. Pflichten nach dem GwG (Verdachtsmeldungen); Bekanntmachung nach § 57 Abs. 1 GwG

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Financial services and insurance

Employees

10,000 or more

Published

6 Nov 2025

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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A food discounter advertised a coffee with a price reduction without stating the lowest total price of the previous 30 days unambiguously, clearly recognisably and legibly. In an action brought by the Wettbewerbszentrale (Centre for Protection against Unfair Competition), the BGH upheld the injunction issued by the lower courts (Regional Court of Amberg, Higher Regional Court of Nuremberg).

Authority / court

Bundesgerichtshof (I. Zivilsenat), Az. I ZR 183/24

Area of law

Consumer protection and online retail · Misleading advertising and pricing

Legal basis

§ 11 Abs. 1 PAngV; § 5a Abs. 1, § 5b Abs. 4 UWG

Action

Order

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Retail and e-commerce

Published

9 Oct 2025

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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