In 2020, Karl-Heinz Grasser was sentenced to 8 years in prison for corruption.
12 Facts About Karl-Heinz Grasser
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Karl-Heinz Grasser studied business administration at the University of Klagenfurt from 1988 to 1992.
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Karl-Heinz Grasser joined the far right nationalist Austrian Freedom Party under the mentorship of Jorg Haider and became the party's General Secretary in 1993.
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In 1998, Karl-Heinz Grasser temporarily left politics after a dispute with Haider to work for Magna Europa as a vice president.
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In 2000, Karl-Heinz Grasser returned to politics and was appointed finance minister, when a coalition was formed between the Austrian People's Party and FPO.
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Karl-Heinz Grasser was reappointed finance minister, this time being nominated by the OVP.
7.
Karl-Heinz Grasser said that the money was given to him, in cash, by his future mother in law, heiress to the Swarovski Crystal company, a claim she denies.
8.
On 22 August 2013, the magazine Format and Austrian daily newspaper Der Standard reported on Karl-Heinz Grasser potentially facing up to 10 years in prison for tax evasion and tax fraud, in addition to fines that may amount up to 20 million Euros.
9.
Karl-Heinz Grasser wants to appeal to the European Court for Human Rights.
10.
On 9 January 2007, Karl-Heinz Grasser announced his departure from politics to return to the private sector.
11.
Karl-Heinz Grasser was considering a position in investment banking at Salomon Smith Barney, of Citigroup, But instead engaged in a number of small-scale lobbying and investment firms, most of which were short-lived, including Meinl International Power, Valora Solutions, SMW OG, and a real estate company GPS.
12.
Karl-Heinz Grasser was engaged to his former intern, Natalia Corrales-Diez, while having a highly publicized affair with Fiona Swarovski.