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Scandal in Vienna: 28-year-old cheats 321,000 euros with a repair bonus!
A 28-year-old in Vienna stole 321,000 euros by fraudulently using the repair bonus. Investigations against several suspects are ongoing.
Scandal in Vienna: 28-year-old cheats 321,000 euros with a repair bonus!
A 28-year-old German is currently the focus of the Viennese justice system. He is said to have illegally stolen a total of 321,000 euros using the EU repair bonus. According to information from 5min The money was allegedly used to pay off rent debts for his cell phone shop in Vienna-Neubau. At his hearing on September 8, 2025 before the Vienna Regional Court, the man stated that he had fallen into financial difficulties due to the economic consequences of the corona pandemic.
In order to get the money, the defendant submitted numerous invoices for real and fictitious repairs. The repair bonus, a government grant to support renovation and repair work, only required you to provide your name, date of birth and email address. He used real data that he had obtained from the Credit Protection Association and invented email addresses. The EU paid the funding until 2023, until the fraud came to light through a random check. The defendant's lawyer criticized the poor controls in the system, while the fraudster pleaded guilty and apologized to those affected.
Multiple fraud cases in Vienna
However, the fraud investigation is not limited to this case. Recent reports from ORF Vienna According to the report, 15 people have already been arrested in Vienna who are also suspected of being involved in fraudulent schemes relating to the repair bonus. The police and public prosecutor's office have initiated investigations to put an end to the activity.
A large-scale raid carried out by over 230 police officers led to the search of 37 properties in Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland. Numerous pieces of evidence were seized and additional suspects were identified. The investigations are aimed at several companies that provided false information in connection with the EU-financed repair bonus between May 2022 and June 2023. There is a suspicion that around 3.5 million euros were obtained unlawfully crown reported.
What now?
The 28-year-old was ultimately sentenced to two years in prison, but the verdict is not yet final. At the same time, investigations into the collected incidents are continuing. Given the significant amount of money obtained through fraudulent activities and the large number of pending cases, everything indicates that the repair bonus system should be gradually made more secure. Reforms that are intended to prevent such fraud from flourishing again in the future are particularly popular.
The developments surrounding the repair bonus shed a sharp light on the challenges of implementing funding programs in times of crisis. The people of Vienna can look forward to seeing how conditions will change in the coming months.