Parking Meter Millionaire Stashed Cash

A German traffic warden in Kempten, Bavaria, has allegedly transformed into a millionaire by systematically stealing coins from parking machines. Over several years, the 40-year-old employee is accused of amassing approximately €1 million through hundreds of collections. Detectives revealed that the cash was deposited into multiple bank accounts, which eventually triggered a money-laundering alert due to the suspicious volume of coin deposits.

The investigation into this elaborate scheme only came to light in October. Authorities have issued warrants for 720 separate thefts, with the counting process ongoing. The man's 38-year-old wife has also been apprehended on suspicion of assisting her husband in the alleged racket, highlighting a coordinated effort in draining public funds. The city has since expedited the implementation of smartphone payment options for parking.

This incident is one of several rogue-employee scandals in Germany. In a separate case in Hamburg, an employee was accused of stealing over two tonnes of coffee from his employer. These events underscore the challenges faced by German cities in safeguarding public funds and company assets against internal fraud.