Buenos Aires/Leipzig – Twelve years ago he was still allowed to moderate his show “We are everywhere” on MDR. Now Carsten Weidling (56), the key figure in the fraud process against the then head of entertainment Udo Foht (72), moderates his return home from Argentina – in a questionable Facebook video.
He even seems to beg director Karola Wille (63) for his old job!
Review: Since September, Udo Foht has had to answer 13 cases of fraud before the Leipzig Regional Court. He is said to have ripped off more than a quarter of a million euros from Schlager stars such as Helene Fischer (38), Florian Silbereisen (41), Yvonne Catterfeld (43), sometimes under flimsy justifications, in order to cover production costs for Weidling’s travel program. There was even talk of blackmail by Weidling.
The verdict against Udo Foht (72) is scheduled for February 3rd
The money went to the company “Just For Fun”, where Weidling was an official author. But the artists never got the money back from MDR, as Foht had pretended.
Weidling is the most important witness
From the start, the court had trouble getting hold of the former “Riverboat” host because he lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina’s capital. Only now could all the formalities be clarified. Weidling has been on his way to Leipzig since Wednesday to give his testimony on Friday.
In his video on Facebook, he shows off before his appointment: “The Saxon judiciary lets me fly in and I have to admit it’s quite comfortable. But after eleven and a half years and the many millions that it cost – both in tax money and in fees – my flight and a little bit of the hotel don’t matter much…”
He had repeatedly emphasized to BILD that he wanted to clarify the case and had never hidden himself. Now he says it is still open whether he will say anything at all. “I have a right to refuse to give evidence. Maybe I’ll make use of it.”
And further: “I also live from poker here in Buenos Aires and I have to say that the Saxon judiciary plays poker pretty high. Because I don’t know exactly what I’m going to testify at the Foht trial.”
It could be colorful, maybe just very quiet. “Or I can clarify what has been wrongly said so far, tell my view of history and maybe we’ll take a closer look at the structure that existed at the time and how it came about.”
On the last day of the hearing, the former managing director of “Just For Fun”, René B. (55), testified that Weidling had full access to the business account and used it to pay for private expenses for housing, clothing, expensive cell phones and groceries.
Affront to director
In his video, he finally announces “court reporting on Wille TV” on the whole story, quickly correcting it: “Uh, at MDR. They were here with me in Argentina. A whole team came to shoot with me. For ‘We Are Everywhere’ I flew around the world alone for two years, I shot everything alone. 24 shipments. But they sent a whole team for me. Well, whoever has, can.”
MDR director Karola Wille (63) according to her statement in the Foht process
Then Weidling plays on those that have only just become known Financial difficulties at the MDR to: “The accounts are full, so still. What you’ve been hearing lately.”
Finally, his statement to Karola Wille personally: “I still see myself as an MDR man on hold. I would very much like to continue my show. We are still a great success!”
How much truth there is behind his statements will be shown in court on Friday, if he doesn’t shut up after all…
