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Mastermind of Tax Scam Gets 8 Years in Prison

Attorney Hanno Berger found guilty of aggravated tax evasion
He’s also standing trial in another German court case

Hanno Berger — Hanno Berger
Photographer: Oliver Berg/picture alliance/Getty Images

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December 13, 2022, 1:18 PM UTCUpdated onDecember 13, 2022, 4:03 PM UTC

Hanno Berger, a German lawyer dubbed the “mastermind” of Cum-Ex, was sentenced to 8 years in prison for his role in part of a sprawling tax scandal that’s robbed billions of euros from government coffers and embroiled some of Wall Street’s biggest names.

Berger was found guilty of three counts of aggravated tax evasion, the Bonn Regional Court said on Tuesday. As well as a jail sentence, judges also seized €13.7 million ($14.6 million) from Berger, who’d been charged with involvement in transactions that cost his country €278 million.