Markus Braun, the 57-year-old former CEO of Wirecard, has spent more than six years in pre-trial detention in Bavaria as the legal proceedings surrounding the 2020 collapse of the payment processor continue. Currently held in Stadelheim prison, the Austrian citizen faces serious charges including gang fraud, market manipulation, balance sheet falsification, and breach of trust. If convicted, Braun could be sentenced to between 10 and 15 years in prison.
The downfall of Wirecard was triggered by the discovery of a missing 1.9 billion euros, an event that led to Braun's arrest and the disappearance of his deputy, Jan Marsalek. While Braun remains in German custody, Marsalek, who is also an Austrian citizen from Klosterneuburg, has been in hiding in Russia since the company's collapse. Marsalek reportedly fled from Bad Vöslau via Minsk to Moscow using a Cessna aircraft.
Life after the verdict
Despite the gravity of the allegations, Braun maintains his innocence and has criticized the length of his six-year detention as unjustified. Looking toward a future beyond his legal battles, Braun stated in an interview with Spiegel that he intends to return to Vienna, where his wife and daughter currently live. He also expressed a desire to work in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and fusion energy.
The long-running trial is approaching its final stages, though a conclusion remains some time away. A verdict in the case against Braun is expected to be reached within a few weeks of November 2026.