The Frankfurt public prosecutor's office officially announced for the first time on Thursday morning that it had filed charges against Frankfurt's Lord Mayor Peter Feldmann (SPD) for allegations of accepting an advantage.

Despite numerous media reports, she was not able to do this earlier because proof of the successful delivery of the indictment to Feldmann was not yet available, the statement said.

Anna Sophia Lang

Editor in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.

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The prosecutors also say that after the investigations into Feldmann's involvement in the so-called AWO scandal, which have been ongoing since February 2021, there is sufficient suspicion of accepting an advantage.

They accuse Feldmann of the fact that the hiring of his then partner and later wife Zübeyde Feldmann as head of a German-Turkish day care center of the AWO Frankfurt, which was promised in spring 2014, "was completed due to his official position as mayor and he is said to have been aware that without factual reason a salary above the collective agreement was promised and the provision of a company car was granted".

Benevolence for interests of the AWO

In addition, according to the prosecutor's office, the AWO Frankfurt Feldmann is said to have supported Feldmann in the election campaign for the 2018 mayoral election "by raising donations".

"In return, the accused is said to have tacitly agreed with those responsible at the time that he would benevolently take into account the interests of the AWO Frankfurt in his future office."

The fact that charges had been brought against Feldmann first became known at the beginning of the week through a report by Hessischer Rundfunk, which referred to judicial circles.

Feldmann and his lawyer told the FAZ on Tuesday that they had not received an indictment.

The mayor has always denied the allegations.

The Frankfurt CDU, on the other hand, asked Feldmann to resign on Tuesday and announced that he would submit a motion to be voted out of office in the city council.

The SPD, the mayor's party, has announced that it will wait and see whether the district court will allow the charges and open the main proceedings.