Senior SBB manager arrested for long-term embezzlement and lavish spending

On a cold November morning in 2024, federal police stopped a senior SBB manager at the Olten main workshop, placed him in handcuffs and later dismissed him from his post. Investigators claim he orchestrated a scheme that spanned 17 years, channeling public money through fictitious firms to fund a house in Solothurn, a former Florida property, and an extensive fleet of luxury vehicles, including a Lamborghini and several Porsches.

A seizure at his residence uncovered 28 weapons, among them sniper rifles and assault guns, all legally acquired but now confiscated. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office puts the recoverable loss at roughly five million francs, while SBB says it will seek full restitution. The railway called the misconduct a result of “significant criminal energy” and has tightened its internal controls. The trial before the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona is set to begin in late October.