Until May 2022, Fynn Kliemann was probably one of the most popular YouTubers in the country, known as a do-it-yourself king, musician and entrepreneur. Then research by the TV magazine “ZDF Neo Magazin” by Jan Böhmermann showed that Kliemann is said to have deceived business partners with his mask shops during the corona pandemic and made false statements when trading his respiratory masks. The public prosecutor’s office in Stade is now discontinuing the proceedings, a spokesman confirmed to the star.
The public prosecutor’s office in Stade originally investigated fraud against Kliemann. The case has now been dropped without a trial. The public prosecutor’s office, in consultation with the court, had come to the conclusion that the allegation of fraud would probably not have stood up in court. Instead, the founder of the Kliemannsland now has to pay a fine of 20,000 euros and thus has no criminal record. The money will be split between four different organizations. Unicef, the Child Protection Association, Doctors Without Borders and the Arche children’s and youth welfare organization each receive EUR 5,000. Kliemann is said to have already transferred the money, but the public prosecutor’s office is still waiting for confirmation from the recipient.
The four organizations were selected by the public prosecutor himself, Kai Thomas Breas told RTL: “There are really worse things than claiming that masks were produced fairly. It would certainly not have gone beyond a fine in court.” The amount of money is therefore based on the usual penalties, in the offense of criminal advertising according to paragraph 16 of the law against unfair competition. Kliemann has to pay the full amount, according to a spokesman for the public prosecutor’s office: “It’s not a donation, he can’t deduct it from taxes or anything.”
After the allegations were published, Kliemann also spoke to the star (read the entire interview here). At that time, the influencer apologized for “serious mistakes” and admitted: “I benefited from it, but at the start of sales I had no idea that it would happen like this.”
Sources: “RTL”, public prosecutor Stade
