This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/7931925.stm
The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 7 | Version 8 |
|---|---|
| Swiss 'gigolo' admits blackmail | Swiss 'gigolo' admits blackmail |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A Swiss man has pleaded guilty to seducing several rich women in order to swindle them out of millions of euros, at a trial in Munich, Germany. | |
| Helg Sgarbi - nicknamed by the media as the Swiss Gigolo - faces up to 10 years in prison for fraud and extortion. | Helg Sgarbi - nicknamed by the media as the Swiss Gigolo - faces up to 10 years in prison for fraud and extortion. |
| His most prominent victim was Susanne Klatten, the heiress of the German car manufacturer BMW. | His most prominent victim was Susanne Klatten, the heiress of the German car manufacturer BMW. |
| In court, Sgarbi apologised to his victims and said he deeply regretted his actions. | In court, Sgarbi apologised to his victims and said he deeply regretted his actions. |
| Sgarbi was surrounded by photographers as he entered the courtroom but sat expressionless while the charges of against him were read out. | Sgarbi was surrounded by photographers as he entered the courtroom but sat expressionless while the charges of against him were read out. |
| He was accused of receiving a total of 9m euro ($11m; £8m) from his victims, none of whom were in court. | He was accused of receiving a total of 9m euro ($11m; £8m) from his victims, none of whom were in court. |
| Prosecution spokesman Anton Winkler told reporters Sgarbi was accused of attempted blackmail, having told his victims he had "compromising material" on them. | Prosecution spokesman Anton Winkler told reporters Sgarbi was accused of attempted blackmail, having told his victims he had "compromising material" on them. |
| "In one case he said the material was stolen from him by the Mafia and now the Mafia was asking for money, but later he asked directly for money", said Mr Winkler. | "In one case he said the material was stolen from him by the Mafia and now the Mafia was asking for money, but later he asked directly for money", said Mr Winkler. |
| "In the second case he directly blackmailed his victim and told her that he had pictures. He told her 'You pay or I go public with the pictures and your privacy'." | "In the second case he directly blackmailed his victim and told her that he had pictures. He told her 'You pay or I go public with the pictures and your privacy'." |
| Three of the women were referred to by the initials H, S and R in the indictment, to protect their identities, while Mrs Klatten had given permission for her name to be listed. | Three of the women were referred to by the initials H, S and R in the indictment, to protect their identities, while Mrs Klatten had given permission for her name to be listed. |
| Sgarbi's lawyer, Egon Geis, told the court the charges were "at their core, true", before Sgarbi himself told the court he regretted what he had done. | Sgarbi's lawyer, Egon Geis, told the court the charges were "at their core, true", before Sgarbi himself told the court he regretted what he had done. |
| "I apologise to the women involved," he said. | "I apologise to the women involved," he said. |
| Blackmail | Blackmail |
| Prosecutors say Sgarbi convinced Mrs Klatten, a married business tycoon who owns a 12.5% stake in BMW, to give him nearly 7m euros, which he said he needed to pay off the family of a girl he had injured in car accident in Florida. | Prosecutors say Sgarbi convinced Mrs Klatten, a married business tycoon who owns a 12.5% stake in BMW, to give him nearly 7m euros, which he said he needed to pay off the family of a girl he had injured in car accident in Florida. |
| HELG SGARBI | HELG SGARBI |
| Originally called Russak, he was first reported to the police by an 83-year old countess, who said he had seduced and persuaded her to hand over 7m euros. | |
| She later dropped the charges and has since died, while he changed his name to Sgarbi. | She later dropped the charges and has since died, while he changed his name to Sgarbi. |
| Sgarbi has been described by police as a smooth operator who knew how to win the trust of his victims and is alleged to have connections with criminal gangs. | Sgarbi has been described by police as a smooth operator who knew how to win the trust of his victims and is alleged to have connections with criminal gangs. |
| He told the women he targeted he was a "special Swiss representative in crisis zones", which accounted for his sudden disappearances | He told the women he targeted he was a "special Swiss representative in crisis zones", which accounted for his sudden disappearances |
| He told several of the women, including Mrs Klatten, that he needed money to pay off the family of a child he had run over in Florida. | He told several of the women, including Mrs Klatten, that he needed money to pay off the family of a child he had run over in Florida. |
| He is said to have not spoken about the cases since his arrest "out of respect to the ladies concerned". | He is said to have not spoken about the cases since his arrest "out of respect to the ladies concerned". |
| The reclusive 46-year-old mother-of-three handed the money to him in a cardboard box in the basement of a Holiday Inn hotel in Munich in September 2007. | The reclusive 46-year-old mother-of-three handed the money to him in a cardboard box in the basement of a Holiday Inn hotel in Munich in September 2007. |
| He later asked her to give him a further 290m euros, which he said would enable them to start a new life together, but she refused to do so. | He later asked her to give him a further 290m euros, which he said would enable them to start a new life together, but she refused to do so. |
| Mrs Klattern said he then threatened to make public a tape he had secretly made of them having sex in a Munich hotel room if he did not receive another 49m euros, a figure he later reduced to 14m. | Mrs Klattern said he then threatened to make public a tape he had secretly made of them having sex in a Munich hotel room if he did not receive another 49m euros, a figure he later reduced to 14m. |
| In a blackmail letter, he is reported to have told Mrs Klatten: "While your risk is very high, my risks are irrelevant." | In a blackmail letter, he is reported to have told Mrs Klatten: "While your risk is very high, my risks are irrelevant." |
| Mrs Klatten was one of a string of Sgarbi's alleged victims across Europe, who included the wealthy Countess Verena du Pasquier-Geubels, more than 50 years his senior. | Mrs Klatten was one of a string of Sgarbi's alleged victims across Europe, who included the wealthy Countess Verena du Pasquier-Geubels, more than 50 years his senior. |
| She reported him to the police but later dropped the charges and died in 2002. | She reported him to the police but later dropped the charges and died in 2002. |
| The BBC's Steve Rosenberg in Munich says there has been a huge amount of media attention on the trial, which is being described as one of the most remarkable and sensational in German judicial history. | The BBC's Steve Rosenberg in Munich says there has been a huge amount of media attention on the trial, which is being described as one of the most remarkable and sensational in German judicial history. |
| Before the trial, Sgarbi had been expected to face a sentence of up to 10 years, but the feeling is it will be reduced because of his guilty plea, our correspondent says. | Before the trial, Sgarbi had been expected to face a sentence of up to 10 years, but the feeling is it will be reduced because of his guilty plea, our correspondent says. |