BERLIN (Reuters) – Austrian authorities are investigating the flow of money behind a large donation made to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) to support its German election campaign, according to a joint investigation by the newspapers Spiegel and Standard.
The donation – the party’s largest ever at 2.35 million euros ($2.45 million) – came in early February, boosting the AfD in the final stretch of the campaign for Sunday’s election, in which is it forecast to secure a historic second place.
The donation came from Gerhard Dingler, according to a German parliamentary register of such payments.
Dingler previously worked for Austria’s far-right Freedom Party (FPO) as its managing director in the western state of Vorarlberg, which borders Switzerland and Germany. He held that post for 15 years and left in 2016.
Germany’s Spiegel and Austria’s Standard reported on Wednesday that the Austrian domestic intelligence service and federal criminal investigation bureau were investigating suspected money-laundering over a 2.6 million euro payment made to Dingler shortly before his donation.
That raises the suspicion that Dingler was serving as a front for another donor.
The investigation is focused on how Dingler declared the payment prior to the donation, Spiegel and Standard reported.
A spokesperson for Austria’s BKA criminal investigation bureau declined to comment on specific persons. The DSN domestic intelligence agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The AfD’s treasurer, Carsten Huetter, said he offered full transparency and cooperation with authorities in the event of an investigation in a statement addressing the report.
“Mr Dingler has repeatedly assured the party that the donation in kind was made from his private assets,” Huetter said.
Der Standard reported that Dingler did not respond to multiple attempts by the newspaper to reach him. Reuters attempts to reach him were also unsuccessful.
The AfD could face a fine of around 7 million euros under German law if the donation is found to violate rules on party donations.
In 2019, Germany’s Bundestag parliament fined the party more than 400,000 euros for violating party donation rules.
($1 = 0.9590 euros)
(Reporting by Rachel More in Berlin and Francois Murphy in Vienna; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
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