Cologne court authorises main hearing for Hamburg tax officer in €90m Warburg cum-ex case
The Oberlandesgericht Köln has authorised the main hearing against Hamburg tax officer Daniela P., who is accused of helping MM Warburg retain €90m of unlawfully obtained cum-ex tax refunds.
The Oberlandesgericht Köln (Cologne Higher Regional Court) has authorised the main hearing against Hamburg tax officer Daniela P. over allegations she helped MM Warburg keep €90m of unlawfully obtained cum-ex tax refunds.
The Cologne Higher Regional Court issued the 30-page ruling on 10 August 2026, overturning a lower-court dismissal and allowing the Cologne public prosecutor's charge of aiding tax evasion — Beihilfe zur Steuerhinterziehung — to proceed before the Bonn Landgericht (regional court).
The parties and the sum
Daniela P. is accused of assisting the Hamburg private bank MM Warburg in retaining €90m of cum-ex tax refunds that the prosecution says were unlawfully obtained.
| Party | Role | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| Daniela P. | Hamburg tax officer | Accused of aiding retention of €90m |
| MM Warburg | Hamburg private bank | €90m in cum-ex refunds at issue |
| Source: Tagesschau | ||
Tagesschau reports that Daniela P. is the first German civil servant to face prosecution in the cum-ex scandal.
What happens next
The case now moves to the Bonn Landgericht for the main hearing. The ruling is a procedural decision and does not rule on the substance of the charges.
