A few days before the elections in Germany, reports emerged about possible illegal financing of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
This was reported by Spiegel , UNN and UNN.
The party received a record donation of 2.35 million euros, the origin of which may have been concealed by illegal means.
This is the largest donation ever officially declared by the Ad Hoc Committee
Officially, the money came from former Austrian politician Gerhard Dingler, who represented the right-wing populist FPÖ party. However, journalists found out that the funds could have belonged to German billionaire Henning Conle, a well-known real estate developer.
Shortly before that, Dingler allegedly received 2.6 million euros as a “gift,” after which almost the entire amount went to the AfD's election campaign. The investigation is being conducted by the German Federal Criminal Police Office and the Austrian Security Service. If it is confirmed that the party concealed the real benefactor, it faces a fine of three times the amount received - about 7 million euros.
The AfD denies any violations. According to a party spokesperson, Dingler assured the leadership that the money belonged to him and was not received on behalf of third parties. At the same time, Dingler and Conle have not yet commented on the situation.
Add
The AfD generally takes a pro-Russian position. Its representatives are against military aid to Ukraine, in favor of lifting sanctions against Russia, resuming purchases of Russian gas, and generally in favor of restoring good relations with the aggressor. Currently, the party has a high chance of taking second place in the parliamentary elections.
Recall
German intelligence agencies warned of a serious threat of Russian interference in the Bundestag elections, including through large-scale cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns.