Episode Details

Egisto Ott, a former Austrian intelligence official, was found guilty of spying for Russia, marking Austrias biggest spy trial in recent memory. Ott, aged sixty-three, was convicted of passing information to Russian intelligence and Jan Marsalek, a fugitive Wirecard executive. He was sentenced to four years and one month in prison, with his defense filing an appeal. Ott used his position to gather secret information and personal data from police databases, aiding Russias intelligence service against Austria. He also received payments for this information, allegedly passing it to Marsalek and unidentified Russian intelligence representatives. Ott was convicted of misuse of office, bribery, aggravated fraud, and breach of trust. He passed phone data from senior Austrian interior ministry officials to Russia, obtained after their phones were dropped in the Danube River. Ott claimed he was involved in a covert operation with a Western intelligence service, not Moscow. The scandal also revealed more about Marsaleks alleged activities, including fraud and embezzlement charges in Germany and involvement with a group of Bulgarians convicted in London for spying for Russia.

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