It is now official: Former Austrian Finance Minister Karl-Heinz Grasser has been sentenced to four years in prison following a high-profile corruption case.
After years of legal battles over the BUWOG scandal, Austria’s Supreme Court delivered the final verdict on March 25, 2025. Initially sentenced to eight years in 2020, Grasser’s prison term was reduced to four years after his conviction for document forgery was overturned.
The case dates back to 2004, when 60,000 publicly owned apartments were sold to Immofinanz for €961 million. Rival bidder CA Immo had planned to offer a maximum of €960 million. The close bidding margin of just €1 million raised suspicions. Investigations later revealed that a €9.61 million commission was paid to Grasser’s best man, Walter Meischberger, and business partner Peter Hochegger. Prosecutors argued that Grasser had leaked confidential bidding information.
In the original trial, Grasser was sentenced to eight years, while Meischberger received seven and Hochegger six. Following appeals, Meischberger’s sentence was reduced to three and a half years. Attorney Gerald Toifl and businessman Alexander Wicki received 12 months and eight months, respectively.
The court found clear evidence of corruption, confirming that Grasser played a key role in the scheme. With the verdict now final, the former finance minister must serve his sentence, marking the end of a long legal battle.
