Berlin SPD lead candidate Steffen Krach raided in bribery probe over hospital donation
On September 9, 2026, the Hanover Public Prosecutor's Office raided the apartment of Berlin SPD lead candidate Steffen Krach, party offices in Berlin-Schöneberg and Wedding, and premises in Hanover. The investigation concerns suspected bribery linked to a donation from a healthcare provider during Krach's tenure as Regional President of Hanover, where he chaired a hospital chain's supervisory board. Krach and the Berlin SPD deny the allegations and are cooperating. The raids occur 1.5 weeks before the Berlin election, with the SPD polling at 12 percent.
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Prosecutors Investigate Berlin SPD Lead Candidate Steffen Krach in Two Cases
The Hanover Public Prosecutor's Office is investigating Berlin SPD lead candidate Steffen Krach on suspicion of accepting undue advantages in two cases, with a raid conducted at his offices just before the Berlin election. The investigations, ongoing since September 3, involve allegations of anti-competitive collusion in tenders, violation of trade secrets, and breach of confidentiality obligations during Krach's tenure as President of the Hannover Region. Law enforcement searched Krach's office in Hanover, his Berlin apartment, and the SPD state party headquarters, seizing his mobile phone. Krach has provided a comprehensive statement rejecting the allegations as baseless, stating he never accepted money privately or donations as SPD chairman. The investigations fall in the middle of the Berlin election campaign, with the House of Representatives election scheduled for September 20. Krach is currently on leave from his role as Regional President due to his candidacy.
Read sourceInvestigation into Steffen Krach: Donation for Unsuccessful Influence in Hospital Deal
On September 10, 2026, the apartment of Steffen Krach, the SPD lead candidate for the Berlin House of Representatives election, was searched amid bribery allegations. The investigation centers on a donation of just under 10,000 euros from a businessman in Hannover, which Krach claims he immediately rejected. The opaque background involves Krach's role as Regional President of the Hannover metropolitan region and supervisory board member of the regional hospital association (KRH). During a bidding process for a Health Campus project in Lehrte, Krach vehemently advocated for the offer from G&W Vermögensverwaltung, a corporate group owned by a care entrepreneur from Burgdorf. Critics doubted the entrepreneur's ability to handle the sensitive project, while G&W complained the process was biased. The concept favored by Krach ultimately lost, and the entrepreneur withdrew complaints after a criminal complaint was filed against him. The article highlights the complexity and opacity of the case, with Krach visibly shaken but denying wrongdoing.
Read sourceSPD Defends Berlin Candidate Steffen Krach After €9,900 Donation Rejected
The German newspaper Die Welt reports that the SPD has defended its top candidate for Berlin, Steffen Krach, following the revelation of investigations against him. The party provided further details after it became known that a donation of €9,900 was 'immediately' rejected. The article, published on September 10, 2026, includes a video and image related to the story. The donation and subsequent investigations have become a point of contention in the Berlin political campaign, with the SPD rallying behind Krach amid the controversy. The exact nature of the investigations and the circumstances surrounding the rejected donation are central to the ongoing political discourse in Berlin.
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SPD defends top candidate Krach after €9,900 donation rejected amid investigation
Shortly before the Berlin state parliament election, prosecutors in Hanover launched an investigation into SPD lead candidate Steffen Krach. The case involves an unclear €9,900 donation to the Berlin SPD account and a hospital sale near Hanover. According to the party, the donation was attempted around the turn of the year and was immediately rejected on Krach's instructions, with the money refunded on January 9. The Hanover public prosecutor's office searched three locations in Berlin and Hanover but did not specify allegations, citing the presumption of innocence. Krach, who is also Regional President of Hanover but on leave for the campaign, stated the allegation relates to a tender process for a hospital sale. The bidder who allegedly made the donation did not receive the contract. Krach dismissed influence peddling claims as baseless, saying he never accepted any sum from the bidder. The election for the Berlin House of Representatives is in a week and a half.
Read sourceRaid on SPD Lead Candidate Steffen Krach Days Before Berlin Election
Just before the Berlin election, investigators conducted raids on multiple properties linked to SPD lead candidate Steffen Krach, including his apartment in Schöneberg. The raid, reported by Die Welt on September 10, 2026, is suspected to be related to corruption allegations. The timing of the search, so close to the election, is described as having massive implications for the election campaign. The article highlights the significant political impact of this development on the SPD's lead candidate and the upcoming Berlin election.
Read sourceSearches of SPD Candidate Krach's Home and Party HQ Over Bribery Allegations
On September 9, 2026, Die Welt reported that the homes of SPD lead candidate Steffen Krach and the Berlin SPD state headquarters were searched as part of an investigation into bribery allegations. The allegations stem from Krach's time as Regional President in Hannover. The article, authored by Daniel Friedrich Sturm, assesses the potential consequences for the election campaign, noting that the raids have a massive impact. The searches were conducted by authorities, and the suspicion centers on bribery during Krach's previous tenure. The report highlights the serious nature of the allegations and their likely effect on the SPD's campaign efforts in the upcoming election.
Read sourceRaid on Berlin SPD top candidate Steffen Krach over bribery suspicion in hospital project
The Hanover public prosecutor's office is investigating Steffen Krach, the Berlin SPD top candidate, on suspicion of bribery. Investigators conducted raids on his private apartment, the SPD state headquarters in Berlin's Wedding district, and rooms in Hanover. The allegations are linked to a hospital project from Krach's tenure in Hanover. The Berlin SPD has rejected the allegations. The investigation and searches were reported by Die Welt on September 9, 2026, based on a video from August 28, 2026. The case involves a prominent political figure ahead of Berlin elections, with the party distancing itself from the claims.
Read sourceBerlin SPD top candidate Steffen Krach under investigation for bribery in healthcare procurement
The Hanover public prosecutor's office is investigating Steffen Krach, the SPD's top candidate for the Berlin House of Representatives election, on suspicion of bribery. On Wednesday, investigators searched Krach's private apartment in Berlin-Schöneberg, the Berlin SPD headquarters in Wedding, and the state party headquarters in Hanover. The allegations stem from Krach's tenure as regional president of the Hanover region, where he chaired the supervisory board of a municipal hospital chain. Specifically, the investigation concerns a donation allegedly received from a healthcare provider in exchange for Krach's advocacy in a bidding process for the sale of an old hospital property in Lehrte. Krach publicly supported a concept for the site that was ultimately not selected. Krach's spokesman has denied the allegations and stated full cooperation with authorities. The investigation comes just a week and a half before the Berlin election, where the SPD is polling at only 12 percent.
Read sourceSuspected Bribery: Raid on Berlin SPD Lead Candidate Steffen Krach
On September 9, 2026, the Hanover Public Prosecutor's Office conducted raids on the apartment of Berlin SPD lead candidate Steffen Krach, as well as party offices in Berlin-Schöneberg, the SPD state headquarters in Wedding, and premises in Hanover. The searches are part of an investigation into suspicions of bribery linked to Krach's tenure as Regional President of Hanover, during which he also chaired the supervisory board of a municipal hospital chain. The probe focuses on a possible donation connected to the reorganization of a hospital in Lehrte. Three years ago, the regional administration decided to close the old hospital by 2030 and build a modern health center. Krach had publicly favored a concept from a provider that ultimately did not win the contract. Investigators are examining whether Krach received an unspecified donation from that provider, either personally or for the regional SPD. The Berlin SPD and Krach firmly reject the allegations and are cooperating with authorities. The presumption of innocence applies.