He is said to have not registered a valuable luxury watch that he wanted to have auctioned off at his climate charity in the run-up to the Hahnenkamm races. Criminal tax proceedings were initiated once morest the Hollywood star. Schwarzenegger’s climate initiative announced that it would “of course declare and tax everything properly”.
In addition, there was an eloquent counterattack once morest Munich customs. Schwarzenegger cooperated at all times, “even though it was an incompetent investigation, a total comedy full of errors, but which would make a very funny police film.” And of course he immediately agreed to pay the customs duty on – “remember” – his own personal watch. The “Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative” did not mention the exact amount.
Criminal tax proceedings initiated
According to an online report in the “Bild” newspaper, the “Terminator” is said to have paid 35,000 euros. The spokesman for the Munich Main Customs Office, Thomas Meister, did not want to provide any information – as is usual in such cases. “We have initiated criminal tax proceedings. The watch should have been registered because it is an import.” The watch was not registered even though it was supposed to remain in the EU. “If the goods stay in the EU, you have to pay taxes and customs duties. That applies to everyone.” In any case, the “governor” was allowed to take the watch with him to Tyrol following the official act.
The luxury watch was one of the privately owned “Styrian Oak”, a special and unique piece by Audemars Piguet. Schwarzenegger will have them auctioned off for a good cause alongside other exhibits at his traditional climate charity on Thursday at the Stanglwirt in Going. First call price: 50,000 euros.
Credit card machine didn’t work
The two-and-a-half-hour to three-hour official act is likely to have taken deep roots in the memory of the “Styrian Oak”. He was never asked to fill out a tax form and he answered the customs officials’ questions honestly and conscientiously – despite the “total comedy”.
However, following he agreed to pay everything immediately, the officers were unable to use the credit card machine correctly for an hour until they finally gave up and asked him to get cash from the machine to pay the desired amount. Schwarzenegger’s organization said in the statement.
However, this amount was too high for the ATM they had chosen and the bank was also closed. Back in the customs office, a now new official found a machine that worked.
“You can no longer see the forest for the trees”
Spokesman Meister did not want to comment on the procedure due to “funding regulations”. According to “Bild”, customs also questioned Schwarzenegger regarding very personal things such as children, partner or assets. The Styrian is said to have asked why the officials needed to know this and explained that the watch should ultimately be donated to a good cause. “This is the problem that Germany is suffering from. You can no longer see the forest for the trees,” the Hollywood star was quoted as saying following the issue had been overcome for the time being.
Such a procedure would take a certain amount of time to comply with the regulations, said Meister. Especially if there is “a lot of luggage”. It is also planned that “personal information” must be provided if an investigation is initiated. A distinction must also be made between “mandatory information” and “voluntary information,” said the spokesman.
On the way to Kitzbühel
Schwarzenegger, for his part, announced that the “Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative” would of course declare and tax everything properly, as all of his non-profit organizations do. “Its charity auctions raise millions of dollars each year for following-school programs for children in the United States and for environmental work around the world. We hope Germany invests as much energy in transforming and greening its economy as it does, “imposing customs duties on people’s property” was a clear criticism. It is hoped that “next time they won’t ask him to pay customs duty for his suits,” said the Schwarzenegger organization.
This year, the “Styrian Oak” once once more won’t miss the races on the Hahnenkamm. At the same time, Schwarzenegger will once once more be the focus of the society march in Kitzbühel. After the “Special Dinner for Climate Action” on Thursday, the superstar will also grace the legendary Weißwurst party on Friday, also at the Stanglwirt.
