Motorsports – Bernie Ecclestone takes swipe at Germans with Christmas card

SHAFAQNA –  This is not a robbery. I am collecting for the Bavarian state,” says the cartoon figure on horseback as Ecclestone holds the sack of money.

In a further greeting inside the card sent to Reuters, Ecclestone added another tongue-in-cheek comment to further stoke the fires.

“Maybe now we can have a Formula One race in the really nice city of Munich, Germany.”

Ecclestone card tweet

Ecclestone paid $100 million (£64m) 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 — $99 million to the state and $1 million to a children’s charity — and did so.

Ecclestone had been accused of channelling cash to jailed BayernLB banker Gerhard Gribkowsky to smooth the sale of a major stake in Formula One to private equity fund CVC, now the largest shareholder in the business.

Source : Reuters.com