Fugitive Wirecard Chief Boasted of Ousting Austrian Chancellor Kurz

Fugitive executive Jan Marsalek claimed involvement in the 2021 ouster of Austria's chancellor.

Fugitive executive Jan Marsalek boasted in messages to a convicted Russian spy that he orchestrated the 2021 downfall of Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. The communications emerged from investigations into the disgraced Wirecard scandal and foreign espionage operations. Kurz resigned in 2021 amid corruption allegations.

• The sourceMessages were recovered by investigators probing espionage links.
• The backgroundSebastian Kurz stepped down from office following corruption investigations.
• The figuresJan Marsalek has remained a fugitive since the collapse of Wirecard.