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Federal police investigate former PostBus chief

The Federal Office of Police says an investigation has been started against ex-PostBus boss Daniel Landolf and his former head of finances following a scandal over illegal subsidies.

“Criminal administrative proceedings have been opened,” Federal Office of Police spokeswoman Cathy Maret told Keystone-ATS, confirming information published by Le Matin Dimanche and the SonntagsZeitung.

“These are the first steps,” the Federal Office of Police added in  information on its website that was updated on Sunday. The men are suspected of fraud pertaining to benefits, as set out under article 14 of Swiss criminal administrative law.

“Widening the investigation to other people has not been ruled out,” the statement said of the probe, which was officially launched at the end of 2018.

The team of investigators will be going through documents and emails, as well as interviewing people. Searches might also take place, said the information.

The two men risk a prison sentence of five years and a fine of up to CHF30,000 ($30,000) if found guilty, the newspapers said.

Scandal

State-owned PostBus, known for its alpine network of distinctive yellow buses, came under intense scrutiny after an audit found it had manipulated accounts between 2007 and 2015 to pocket millions in federal and cantonal subsidies. This also involved subsidiaries abroad.

The scandal led to the resignation of the entire PostBus top management as well as the CEO of Swiss Post and several members of the board.

The Federal Office of Police expects the investigation to last several months. If there is an indictment, the accused will go before the Swiss Federal Court, it indicated.

Administrative proceedings were first opened, with no names, against Swiss Post, the mother company, in February 2018, following a request by the then Transport Minister Doris Leuthard.

In September PostBus agreed to hand back CHF205.3 million ($214 million) to the government, cantons and communes.

Keystone-SDA/Fedpol/swissinfo.ch/ilj