Zurich prosecutor charges journalist over Vincenz revelations

ZH: Revelations about Pierin Vincenz, a journalist on trial Keystone-SDA

The Zurich Public Prosecutor’s Office has brought charges against the business journalist Lukas Hässig, whose series of revelations had triggered the case involving former chairman of the executive board of Raiffeisen bank Pierin Vincenz.

Hässig himself revealed this in an article published today in Inside Paradeplatz. The journalist had gone as far as the Federal Court in an attempt to prevent the trial, but without success. The date of the hearing has not yet been set.

The public prosecutor’s office also had no intention of bringing any charges. It had dropped the case against Hässig in December 2025. However, Beat Stocker, Vincenz’s business partner and co-defendant, lodged an appeal and was successful.

+ Court verdict of Swiss banker Vincenz expected in January

According to Stocker, Hässig had infringed his privacy in the articles about Vincenz’s alleged irregularities. Consequently, searches were carried out at Hässig’s office and home in June 2025.

Verdict in January

The verdict in the trial before the Zurich Court of Appeal against Vincenz, Stocker and other defendants will not be handed down until January 11, 2027. Vincenz and Stocker are alleged to have secretly acquired shareholdings in certain companies, and then arranged for these to be purchased by Raiffeisen Bank or the credit card company Aduno. Stocker was CEO of the latter and Vincenz chairman of the board of directors.

Through this scheme, they are alleged to have pocketed millions in profits. They are also alleged to have passed off certain private expenses – such as visits to cabarets and strip clubs – as entertainment expenses.

The Zurich District Court had sentenced both men to prison terms at first instance: Vincenz to three years and nine months, and Stocker to four years.

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Translated from Italian, reviewed by an English Department journalist.