A Mother’s Sacrifice: From Porsche Deception to Jail Time
A Romanian woman brought a Porsche to a prospective buyer, only to be met by the police.
A Porsche Cayenne S, advertised on an auction platform, seemed like a real bargain: with a mileage of 118,167, it was priced at just 25,200 Swiss Francs. However, the Porsche had actually covered 321,822 kilometers. The odometer had been manipulated, and the service records had been altered.
On November 14, 2023, a 43-year-old Romanian woman sat behind the wheel of the Porsche, “at the behest of her son,” according to a penal order from the State Attorney See/Oberland. The mother was supposed to deliver the car to a buyer and collect the money. However, the order does not specify who had listed the car on the online platform.
Mother Meets Buyer, Son “Hides”
The son followed his mother in another car and was supposed to take her home after the handover. However, at the handover location in Aarau, he “hid,” leaving the buyer to deal only with the mother. This buyer turned out to be an undercover investigator from the Zurich Cantonal Police. The mother was arrested and spent a total of 39 days in custody until December 22.
According to the penal order, the mother should have at least suspected that the odometer had been tampered with. The intention of the perpetrators was to deceive the buyer about the actual value of the vehicle and induce him to pay a much higher purchase price.
As stated in the penal order, due to her son’s behavior and the circumstances, the mother did indeed have significant doubts about the legality of the sales transaction entrusted to her. She suspected that the Porsche could be “either broken or old” and not worth the stated value. However, she apparently did not feel the need to inquire with her son about the specific details and motives.
The 43-year-old woman was convicted of complicity in attempted fraud and sentenced to a fine of 50 daily rates of 80 Swiss Francs. However, she does not have to pay the 4000 Francs, as the execution was conditionally postponed for a probation period of 2 years. She is, however, required to cover 1500 Francs in procedural costs. A separate criminal proceeding was conducted against her son, but his current status is not evident from the mother’s final penal order.
Furniture and Clothes of Daughter Disposed of in Hagenholz
Not all parents, however, advocate for their children as unconditionally, as evidenced by another final penal order: The Zurich-Limmat Public Prosecutor’s Office fined a 39-year-old Swiss man for misappropriation and coercion with a conditional fine of 50 daily rates of 100 Swiss Francs, totaling 5000 Francs.
This penalty is conditionally deferred for a probation period of 4 years. Additionally, the man must pay 800 Francs in fines and 800 Francs in procedural costs. This penal order is also final. A civil lawsuit, lacking evidence or justification, is referred to civil proceedings.
According to the penal order, the accused’s daughter occupied a room in his apartment in Zurich. Disagreements arose over the rent owed: The daughter paid only 400 Francs instead of the father’s demand of 800 Francs. As a result, the father confiscated the daughter’s apartment key, preventing her from entering the apartment.
Furthermore, he apparently also demanded that his daughter vacate her room, which she did not do. On July 13, 2023, the father emptied the daughter’s room himself and transported all furniture and personal items, including clothes and cosmetics, to the Hagenholz incineration plant. According to the daughter’s statements, her belongings had a total value of 15,000 Francs.