The legal proceedings against Gal Barak, an Israeli national accused of leading a major cybercrime scheme involving investment fraud and money laundering, are set to commence on July 8, 2020, in Vienna, Austria.
Death of Uwe Lenhoff
Shortly before the trial’s commencement, Barak’s former German partner, Uwe Lenhoff, was found dead in his prison cell in Germany. Like Barak, Lenhoff had been awaiting trial; however, Lenhoff was imprisoned in Germany, while Barak is in Vienna.
Lenhoff was arrested in Austria and extradited to Germany in early 2019 after months of investigations by various EU authorities. Since then, he had been awaiting prosecution. Alongside approximately a dozen suspects from various jurisdictions, he was to be charged with running a cybercrime organization, investment fraud, and money laundering. Lenhoff was one of the partners of Israeli Gal Barak, who was also arrested in early 2019 and is currently in custody in Austria.
Circumstances Surrounding Lenhoff’s Death
According to authorities, Lenhoff was found dead in his prison cell. Allegedly, Lenhoff had been suffering from cancer for several years and had undergone repeated treatments. He was found lying dead next to his bed. The German public prosecutor’s office has ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
Lenhoff’s Connections and Impact on Ongoing Investigations
Lenhoff had extensive connections to criminal organizations in the Balkans and Eastern Europe. In the proceedings against him, Albanian citizens were to be charged and were therefore held in custody. Additionally, Lenhoff maintained strong contacts in the Netherlands. The impact of Lenhoff’s death on the ongoing extensive criminal proceedings in several EU countries cannot yet be assessed.