240,000 euro fine - how a text message became the most expensive message in Germany

From accident to complaint - a chain reaction with a bang

A short text message ended in a fine for a pensioner from Tübingen that you would normally expect for large-scale tax evasion: 240,000 euros for attempted bribery. And all because of a single text message.

The story begins in November 2021: a then 68-year-old woman witnesses a hit-and-run - someone hits her car and then simply speeds off. Instead of calling the police directly, she tries to find out more on her own. She memorizes the license plate number and writes a message to a police officer. In it, she asks for the owner's details - and offers to "make herself recognizable". That sounds like bribery to the court - even if the woman presumably just wanted to put a bit of pressure on the police to get information.

SMS discovered by chance - during a completely different investigation

Explosive: The content of this message would probably never have become known if her cell phone had not been confiscated and analyzed as part of a completely different investigation. The text message in question was discovered in the process. The police officer had neither responded to it nor reported it. However, the public prosecutor's office found enough material in it for a penalty order.

And it was a hefty one: the pensioner was ordered to pay a whopping 240,000 euros. That's a sum that makes many people gasp - but in Germany, the amount of a fine is based on income. If you have a lot, you pay more.

A bribe? Or a misunderstanding with costly consequences?

The woman initially did not pay. As a result, the local court had to reassess the case. The media later even reported on a penalty order for 300,000 euros.

For the court, however, the facts of the case were clear: the wording in the text message was deemed to be a clear attempt to persuade an officer to act unlawfully. Whether the officer responded or not was irrelevant. The attempt alone was sufficient.

If you have a lot, you pay a lot - but is that still fair?

There's no question about it: civil servants are not allowed to pass on data, and anyone who tries to circumvent this is crossing a line. But 240,000 euros for a text message? Even if the amount of the fine is based on assets, it becomes clear here how little moderation and balance can be found in some sentences. A pensioner who tries to convict a hit-and-run driver is criminalized - instead of thanking her, a sledgehammer is used. Does this correspond to the sense of justice of many citizens? Doubtful.