Gerhard Gribkowsky dies in motorcycle accident

Gerhard Gribkowsky, a former high-ranking German banker, has died following a motorcycle accident in Lower Austria. The 68-year-old was riding on the B27 road near Schwarzau im Gebirge in the Höllental region when he veered off the road and struck a manhole cover.

According to police reports, the impact threw Gribkowsky approximately ten meters through the air. Although bystanders provided immediate first aid, emergency medical personnel could only confirm his death at the scene.

Gribkowsky was a former board member of BayernLB and gained international notoriety due to a major scandal involving Formula 1. In 2012, he was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for bribery, breach of trust, and tax evasion related to the sale of Formula 1 shares. The case involved payments totaling approximately 44 million US dollars from associates of former Formula 1 chief Bernie Ecclestone. He was released from prison in early 2016.