Money laundering verdict: Daniel Halemba (AfD) has to pay a fine

dpa | The Würzburg district court has convicted AfD member of the state parliament Daniel Halemba of money laundering and coercion to pay a fine. The lay judges’ court decided on 160 daily rates of 190 euros each. If the verdict becomes final, the 24-year-old would be considered to have a criminal record in the colloquial sense, as this punishment will be recorded in the certificate of good conduct. Appeals are possible against the verdict.

Halemba’s lawyers had pleaded for acquittal the previous week, while the public prosecutor’s office had pleaded for 240 daily rates of 215 euros each. Prosecutor Tobias Kostuch viewed the allegations of incitement, money laundering, coercion and attempted coercion as proven.

The youth chamber convicted Halemba of money laundering and coercion. The 24-year-old was acquitted of charges of incitement to hatred and attempted coercion.

Halemba: Political procedure

Halemba and his defense attorney portrayed themselves as victims of political intrigue in the proceedings and said almost nothing about the allegations – at least not in court, but rather on social media and in statements, for example at the Würzburg Justice Center. Only in the pleadings was Halemba’s involvement in the alleged acts rejected or the incidents presented as not criminally relevant.

The 24-year-old said in his closing statement: “This is about throwing dirt (…) and building a closeness to National Socialism.”

The trial took place before a youth lay judge’s court because Halemba was still subject to juvenile criminal law for the money laundering offense due to his age at the time.

AfD wants to examine the matter

The AfD politician was the youngest member of parliament in October 2023 was elected to the Bavarian state parliament. Halemba is considered a right winger in the Bavarian AfD. The majority of the AfD parliamentary group in the state parliament has so far supported its controversial young parliamentarian, and he continues to fulfill his mandate.

The AfD state chairwoman Stephan Protschka wrote to the German Press Agency on the occasion of the trial: “In the event of a final conviction, the state executive board will examine the facts in accordance with the statutes. Whether party exclusion proceedings are initiated does not depend schematically, but rather on the specific verdict, the facts of the case, the sentence and the connection to party activity.”