Munich celebrity chef Alfons Schuhbeck (72) has been charged with tax evasion.

His spokesman Stephan Heller confirmed this on Wednesday.

The "Süddeutsche Zeitung" had previously reported on it. The Munich I public prosecutor's office did not want to comment on tax secrecy. Schuhbeck's spokesman told the German Press Agency: "Unfortunately, I cannot give you any further statements about the procedure."

According to Heller, Schuhbeck also does not want to comment on the allegations.

If the charges are admitted, the chef will face a lawsuit.

More than two years ago, the public prosecutor's investigations into suspicion of tax evasion against Schuhbeck became known.

In connection with this, his business premises were also searched.

"I will work very closely and very openly with the authorities to rebut all allegations," said the cook at the time. He was "available to answer all questions from the authorities."

Schuhbeck's empire

Schuhbeck is one of the most famous chefs and restaurateurs in the republic.

He has cooked for the Beatles and Charlie Chaplin, Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Queen - and again and again for FC Bayern Munich.

His name is a brand.

He built up a network of companies with three restaurants, a catering service, an ice cream parlor and spice shops.

In July of this year, however, it became known that Schuhbeck's empire was in financial difficulties.

He filed for bankruptcy and justified this with a lack of government aid in the wake of the corona pandemic.

"After the publicly announced state aid has not come to me to this day, I have to file for bankruptcy for my operations," said Schuhbeck at the time, according to a message that was headed "The next corona victim".

Breach of disclosure requirement

Schuhbeck said at the time that he had hoped for government financial aid and invested private money in his company until the very end.

"But now it's over."

However, according to information from the Federal Office of Justice (BFJ), Schuhbeck had not published any annual reports since 2017.

Since this violates the disclosure obligation stipulated in the Commercial Code for several types of companies, the Bonn authority initiated administrative fine proceedings, as the BFJ announced shortly after the insolvency proceedings became known.

In the summer of the Federal Gazette, the balance sheets of "Schuhbeck's Holding GmbH & Co. KG" and "Schuhbeck's Partyservice GmbH and Co. KG" for 2017, 2018 and 2019 were missing.

The fine is usually a minimum of 2500 euros and a maximum of 25,000 euros.

A considerable sum could have been raised at Schuhbeck by now.