Tax money scandal in Lebenshilfe: Where did the millions stay?

Tax money scandal in Lebenshilfe: Where did the millions stay?

in Rhineland-Palatinate is the Lebenshilfe Südliche Weinstraße (Süw) in the center of a severe scandal on the abuse of tax money. The association, which receives millions of public funds annually, has been accused of having misused more than 200,000 euros. These funds were originally intended for the payment of personnel that supported minors with disabilities.

The Landau public prosecutor's office has been investigating life aid for fraud since March 2023. The case was triggered by a criminal complaint from the Southern Wine Route district administration after abnormalities were noticed in the personnel costs. An examination of the municipal special association had shown that excessive salaries were claimed when they were actually paid. Lebenshilfe has so far denied these allegations, but the exact sum has not been published.

Investigations and claims

The reclaims of the Süw district affect a total of around 280,000 euros, which are divided into different amounts in the Southern Weinstraße, Germersheim and the city of Landau. However, Lebenshilfe rejected the repayment, which triggered a conflict that ultimately ended up at the arbitration board of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate. A first negotiation date took place at the end of last year.

The new board of directors under Eric Weik has assured Marina Hoffmann after the resignation of ex-director Marina Hoffmann. Nevertheless, the confidence of the citizens in the organization remains questionable, especially after it has been found that higher salaries have been requested than those actually paid.

reactions and views

District Administrator Dietmar Seefeldt is mentioned as a victim in the matter. He expresses concerns about a silence pact that obviously exists between life aid and the relevant areas. The processes also throw a light on the general practice in disability aid, where there are always disputes about the use of tax money.

The Court of Auditors has repeatedly demanded that the use of the funds have been extensively checked since 2015. The problem is that in Rhineland-Palatinate the responsibility for the care of people with disabilities between the country and the municipalities is divided. Around 1.2 billion euros are issued annually in this area, including the support of handicapped workshops.

There are also other allegations against the Kreuznach Diakonie, where similar questions about the use of tax funds have been causing a dispute for years. The pressure on life aid and other social institutions is expected to increase, since consumers and supervisory boards require better management and a comprehensible use of funds.

The situation around Lebenshilfe Süw is a clear sign of the necessary reform of control of the funds in the disabled help to ensure that the support arrives where it is most urgently needed.

How long this conflict will take is uncertain, life aid must now deal with the consequences and strive to maintain the trust of its clients.