Düsseldorf It was the first series of criminal trials planned for the controversial Goldfinger tax model, ever popular with income millionaires. Now proceedings against two accused lawyers before local district court are over after one year

The proverbial image of the tiger, which ended up as a bedside rug, rarely fit the view of the Augsburg public prosecutor in the case. Because the pilot process at one of the largest tax penalty complexes in the Republic ended in embarrassment for investigators.

Proceedings were closed against both Munich lawyers. Officially “due to trivialities”. In practice, the end of the conversation is behind the scenes, which the government lawyer had to agree, meaning a acquittal. More than this, because the state and thus the taxpayer must pay compensation to the two defendants accused of tax evasion.

Men who had been in detention for months and whose office had subsequently collapsed, would likely receive an amount of one million each. Because virtually none of the plaintiffs’ statements about tax evasion through sham deals were true. And investigators themselves have long been at risk of criminal trouble.