This is how it is now: Adriano Vassalli, a former member of the board of directors of Post, is suspected of having been involved in the arrest of Postbus. The Federal Police Service (Fedpol), which conducts administrative criminal proceedings related to the scandal, has expanded the group of suspects to include the former vice president. According to information from Blick, he is also suspected of benefit fraud. Fedpol does not comment on this.
Postbus had made illegal profits on subsidized routes for years, but had kept it hidden. Postbus collected millions of francs too much. The yellow giant repaid more than 200 million Swiss francs.
Rolled again
The first attempt to convict six former PostBus and Swiss Post executives of fraud failed in 2020. Fedpol had tasked two external experts with conducting the proceedings, but the Berne Economic Criminal Court and higher authorities believed there was no legal basis for this .
Fedpol had to reopen the procedure. New data has been collected. The detectives apparently suspected the former board of directors and head of the “Audit, Risk & Compliance” committee.
In the know since autumn
The bombshell burst on a Tuesday: on February 6, 2018, Peter Füglistaler (62), director of the Bundesamt für Transport (BAV), announced that Postbus had written illegal profits in subsidized passenger transport and had hidden them.
A little later, the then Post CEO Susanne Ruoff (64) says: “Something went wrong in a corner of Postauto AG.” You only found out in November 2017 via the BAV.
Only: that’s not true. It wasn’t just a minor traffic accident in a corner of the Postbus! The company stole more than 200 million Swiss francs from the state. And still in February, Blick made public with internal documents that the Postal Service should be aware of what was going on. As early as May 2013, she discussed how profits in subsidized regional transport can be hidden during a meeting on the subject of ‘Profit Protection’.
Postbus was resourceful when it came to hiding things: Postbus created two bills for every single bus route – and cheated both. The federal government, cantons and municipalities that subsidize the mailbox lines only saw what they needed to see: extra costs for fabricated tires, for diesel and for personnel. “Creative Accounting”.
In mid-February, the federal government filed criminal charges with the Federal Prosecutor’s Office (BA) and the Berne Prosecutor’s Office over the transfer of profits – against all bodies of the Swiss Post, including the management and members of the board of directors. But neither the BA nor the Bernese prosecutors wanted to investigate, so the Federal Council ordered the Federal Bureau of Police (Fedpol), headed by Nicoletta della Valle (61), to conduct an administrative criminal procedure over the Postbus bust.
On June 10, Susanne Ruoff, 64, announced her resignation as postmaster. A day later, the postal administration released the management of Postauto AG with immediate effect.
Fedpol has appointed two external prosecutors, former federal judge Hans Mathys and Neuchâtel district judge Pierre Cornu – but there is no legal basis for this.
The bombshell burst on a Tuesday: on February 6, 2018, Peter Füglistaler (62), director of the Bundesamt für Transport (BAV), announced that Postbus had written illegal profits in subsidized passenger transport and had hidden them.
A little later, the then Post CEO Susanne Ruoff (64) says: “Something went wrong in a corner of Postauto AG.” You only found out in November 2017 through the BAV.
Only: that’s not true. It wasn’t just a minor traffic accident in a corner of the Postbus! The company stole more than 200 million Swiss francs from the state. And still in February, Blick made public with internal documents that the Postal Service should be aware of what was going on. As early as May 2013, she discussed how profits in subsidized regional transport can be hidden during a meeting on the subject of ‘Profit Protection’.
Postbus was resourceful when it came to hiding things: Postbus created two bills for every single bus route – and cheated both. The federal government, cantons and municipalities that subsidize the mailbox lines only saw what they needed to see: extra costs for fabricated tires, for diesel and for personnel. “Creative Accounting”.
In mid-February, the federal government filed criminal charges with the Federal Prosecutor’s Office (BA) and the Berne Prosecutor’s Office over the transfer of profits – against all bodies of the Swiss Post, including the management and members of the board of directors. But neither the BA nor the Bernese prosecutors wanted to investigate, so the Federal Council ordered the Federal Bureau of Police (Fedpol), headed by Nicoletta della Valle (61), to conduct an administrative criminal procedure over the Postbus bust.
On June 10, Susanne Ruoff, 64, announced her resignation as postmaster. A day later, the postal administration released the management of Postauto AG with immediate effect.
Fedpol has appointed two external prosecutors, former federal judge Hans Mathys and Neuchâtel district judge Pierre Cornu – but there is no legal basis for this.
Vassalli confirms to Blick that he was told in the fall that he was one of the suspects. But he emphasizes: “I don’t know who did what. But I’m sure I’m innocent.” He couldn’t understand why he was suddenly accused.
However, the topic was an August 21, 2013 memo, which Blick made public in February 2018. There is talk of “cost payments at the expense of publicly financed transport”. Because of this note, Vassalli would have been aware of the fraud.
None, Vassallli signals. Not he, but the Post itself proved that he never received the memo. When former postal minister Doris Leuthard, 59, announced Vassalli’s resignation for spring 2019 on June 10, 2018, she also said the vice president of the post could prove he never received the note.
“Undetectable”
The Postbus investigation report, prepared by the law firm of Kellerhals Carrard, states that a person from the internal audit assured Vassalli: “You get the reports on paper. This cannot be proven.”
When asked about this, Vassalli insisted that he had not received the note in paper either. De Ticino points out that the memorandum states that no action is required. It is also clear that Postbus is looking for a solution with the regulator, probably the Federal Service for Transport (BAV). That’s why he didn’t need to see the note.
“Nothing to Hide”
It is a mystery to him why Vassalli was targeted by Fedpol detectives, even though he was not considered a suspect on the first attempt. He was never called up. “I don’t even know what exactly makes me suspicious.”
However, it does not suit Vassalli that, according to the investigation report, he objected in the fall of 2015 to the BAV’s access to the in-depth audit reports. “I don’t know exactly what case it was,” says Vassalli, he should look it up in the report. “But contrary to the impression given, I wanted a quick clarification with the BAV because I had nothing to cover up.”
In the autumn of 2017, the BAV Postbus found out. It blew up the scandal in February 2018. Vassalli emphasizes that he hopes the process will be completed quickly. “Then it will be clear that I am not guilty of anything.”
The presumption of innocence applies to him and all other suspects.