Heilbronn court trial begins for kidnapping of entrepreneur

Two men are appearing before the Heilbronn District Court following the kidnapping and extortion of a 28-year-old entrepreneur in Besigheim. The defendants, aged 21 and 24, are former employees of the victim.

According to the prosecution, the men intercepted the victim in mid-March, binding and gagging him before transporting him in his own vehicle, first in the back seat and later in the trunk. During the ordeal, the victim was allegedly threatened with a blank-firing pistol and forced to reveal passwords for his laptop, mobile devices, and bank cards.

The suspects reportedly used the stolen credentials to order goods online exceeding 87,000 euros and withdrew cash. Additionally, they allegedly forced the victim to record a video making false claims regarding his personal character. The victim also disclosed a safe code, resulting in the theft of jewelry, cash, and expensive clothing.