Despite Admitting to the Facts, Eduard Lintner Denies It Was Bribery: Inside the ‘Azerbaijan Laundromat’ Trial

Foto: Bayerischer Rundfunk

Former German Bundestag member Eduard Lintner stood before the Munich Higher Regional Court and acknowledged that he received substantial payments from the Azerbaijani government—but insisted that “in my opinion, this does not constitute bribery.” The case is part of the wider “Azerbaijan Laundromat” scandal—an alleged $2.9 billion money-laundering and bribery scheme—and a verdict in Lintner’s trial is expected in July 2025.

Background: The “Azerbaijan Laundromat” Mechanism

Investigations by the Süddeutsche Zeitung and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) in 2017 uncovered a complex money-laundering scheme dubbed the “Azerbaijan Laundromat,” through which roughly $2.9 billion in covert transfers were funneled between 2012 and 2014 to influence politicians across Europe. Prosecutors allege these funds were used to sway decisions in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), where human-rights issues are often debated, and to purchase luxury goods on behalf of Azerbaijani authorities. During this same period, Azerbaijan’s domestic crackdown on journalists and activists intensified, raising questions about the regime’s attempts to control its international image through clandestine lobbying.

Recent Court Developments in Munich

At the latest hearing in the Munich court, Lintner stated that he fully accepts the facts presented in the indictment. “I agree with the charges,” he told presiding Judge Jochen Bösl, confirming that payments from Azerbaijan were made openly and routed through intermediaries. Despite this acknowledgment, Lintner maintains that receiving these sums did not amount to criminal bribery. In a subsequent interview with Germany’s DPA news agency, he reiterated that “the payments I received were not bribes,” insisting that he saw no wrongdoing in the open nature of the transfers.

However, Judge Bösl characterized Lintner’s courtroom admission as tantamount to a “confession,” which could potentially reduce any sentence handed down. The trial, which began in January 2025, is drawing significant attention as prosecutors seek to hold European politicians accountable for having taken Azerbaijani funds. A final decision is slated for July 2025.

Key Testimony & Quotes from Lintner

“They never questioned why the money was transferred in this manner, because there was nothing to hide. We had disclosed everything.”

Lintner insisted throughout his testimony that the payments were transparent and aboveboard, never probing why intermediaries were used. He added:

“Because in my opinion, this does not constitute bribery.”

He further argued that his lobbying on Azerbaijan’s behalf came from “honorable motives,” expressing concern about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and drawing parallels to Germany’s own Cold War division. Judge Bösl, however, did not accept these defenses.

Other Defendants & Wider Implications

Prosecutors have already secured guilty pleas from two smaller defendants in this case—a former aide and a close relative of Lintner—both of whom “confessed guilt” and were then released from the proceedings. Meanwhile, former Christian Democratic Union MP Axel Fischer, who served in PACE from 2010 to 2018 and allegedly made speeches in Azerbaijan’s favor while passing along confidential documents, faces separate charges of accepting tens of thousands of euros in bribes. His trial is scheduled for later in 2025. In addition, the late Karin Strenz, another former PACE member implicated in the investigation, died before proceedings concluded.

Lintner, a long-time member of the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) and former Bundestag deputy, is accused of channeling part of the Azerbaijani payments to other PACE members, asking them to vote or speak in ways that would benefit Azerbaijan’s interests. If convicted, he could face a sentence reflecting both the amount received and the influence exerted.

Analysis & Reactions

Legal experts tracking the “Azerbaijan Laundromat” saga note that prosecuting high-profile figures like Lintner and Fischer signals a shift toward greater scrutiny of how foreign regimes attempt to sway European institutions. Observers emphasize that Lintner’s assertion—“it does not constitute bribery”—underscores a legal gray area: when does lobbying cross the line into illicit influence-peddling? Some commentators argue that the open nature of the payments (as Lintner describes) may complicate the prosecution’s arguments, while others insist that “transparency” alone does not absolve someone from bribery if the underlying purpose is corrupt.

Human-rights groups have also weighed in, pointing out that as Azerbaijan detained journalists and activists at home between 2012 and 2014, funneling millions to European politicians undermined PACE’s credibility in defending free speech. This case could set new precedents for how PACE and other bodies enforce ethical standards among their members.

Conclusion

With the July 2025 verdict looming, Eduard Lintner remains at the center of a landmark trial that straddles questions of legal definition—“What counts as a bribe?”—and broader concerns over democratic accountability. While Lintner insists the payments to him were “honorable” and fully disclosed, prosecutors argue they were designed to manipulate European policy in favor of a regime notorious for repressing dissent. The outcome will not only determine Lintner’s fate but could also reshape how PACE and other institutions police foreign lobbying. Axel Fischer and other implicated figures face their own trials later this year, meaning the “Azerbaijan Laundromat” story is far from over.