Bernie Ecclestone takes aim at German courts in mischievous Christmas card
The Formula One chief executive, Bernie Ecclestone, has revisited his German bribery trial in a mischievous Christmas card depicting himself handing over $100m to a masked highwayman pointing a pistol at him.
“This is not a robbery. I am collecting for the Bavarian state,” says the cartoon figure on horseback as Ecclestone is pictured holding a sack of money.
In a further greeting inside the card sent to Reuters, Ecclestone adds another tongue-in-cheek comment: “Maybe now we can have a Formula One race in the really nice city of Munich, Germany.”
Amazing stuff from Mr. E “@alanbaldwinf1: Christmas card from Bernie. http://t.co/d8vHczrcVs” pic.twitter.com/qtp6LUdY6q
— Jonny Bowers (@Jonny_Bowers) December 18, 2014
Ecclestone paid $100m (£60m) in August under the terms of a settlement agreement with prosecutors to end the bribery trial in Munich.
The agreement meant Ecclestone, now 84, preserved his innocence and was spared the prospect of a lengthy trial. He had one week to pay the money – $99m to the state and $1m to a children’s charity – and did so.
Ecclestone had been accused of channelling cash to the jailed BayernLB banker Gerhard Gribkowsky to smooth the sale of a major stake in Formula One to the private equity fund CVC, now the largest shareholder in the business.