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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Deutsche Post boss set to resign | Deutsche Post boss set to resign |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Deutsche Post boss Klaus Zumwinkel, who is under investigation for tax evasion, has offered to quit. | |
| Deutsche Post's executive committee has called on the board to accept his resignation, which German Chancellor Angela Merkel described as unavoidable. | |
| The German government is a major shareholder in Deutsche Post, which also owns the global delivery firm DHL. | The German government is a major shareholder in Deutsche Post, which also owns the global delivery firm DHL. |
| Germany is cracking down on wealthy businessmen using offshore bank accounts to escape taxes. | Germany is cracking down on wealthy businessmen using offshore bank accounts to escape taxes. |
| Hundreds more Germans face being investigated for tax evasion. | Hundreds more Germans face being investigated for tax evasion. |
| "In a large number of cases, key personalities from our country sought to avoid their duty of solidarity via taxation by practising fiscal evasion to Liechtenstein," a finance ministry spokesman said. | "In a large number of cases, key personalities from our country sought to avoid their duty of solidarity via taxation by practising fiscal evasion to Liechtenstein," a finance ministry spokesman said. |
| Deutsche Post said on its web site that it was in the interest of the company for Mr Zumwinkel to resign. | Deutsche Post said on its web site that it was in the interest of the company for Mr Zumwinkel to resign. |
| 'Morale damaged' | 'Morale damaged' |
| Peer Steinbrueck, the German Finance Minister, said the scandal had damaged public morale. | Peer Steinbrueck, the German Finance Minister, said the scandal had damaged public morale. |
| Deutsche Post has a market share of nearly 90% | Deutsche Post has a market share of nearly 90% |
| "If the public has something like this as a role model then they'll start having doubts about this economic and social system. I didn't think this was possible." | "If the public has something like this as a role model then they'll start having doubts about this economic and social system. I didn't think this was possible." |
| On Thursday, the Deutsche Post boss was questioned by police and his home and office were raided. | On Thursday, the Deutsche Post boss was questioned by police and his home and office were raided. |
| Prosecutors suspect that he avoided paying 1m euros (£750,000; $1.4m) in taxes using banks in Lichtenstein. | Prosecutors suspect that he avoided paying 1m euros (£750,000; $1.4m) in taxes using banks in Lichtenstein. |
| He has not yet made a public statement about the allegations. | He has not yet made a public statement about the allegations. |
| John Allan, the British finance director at Deutsche Post, has been tipped by some analysts as a likely successor. | John Allan, the British finance director at Deutsche Post, has been tipped by some analysts as a likely successor. |
| Reputation soured | Reputation soured |
| Mr Zumwinkel, 63, is one of Germany's most influential business figures, credited with transforming the postal service into a logistics giant, as well as developing its retail banking arm, Postbank. | Mr Zumwinkel, 63, is one of Germany's most influential business figures, credited with transforming the postal service into a logistics giant, as well as developing its retail banking arm, Postbank. |
| He has been chief executive of Deutsche Post for 18 years. | He has been chief executive of Deutsche Post for 18 years. |
| He is one of the longest-serving chief executives of a German blue chip company and also heads the supervisory board of Deutsche Telekom. | He is one of the longest-serving chief executives of a German blue chip company and also heads the supervisory board of Deutsche Telekom. |
| But he is no stranger to controversy. | But he is no stranger to controversy. |
| He sold about 5m euros worth of shares after the introduction of the minimum wage for postal workers - which he fought for - boosted the company's share price. | He sold about 5m euros worth of shares after the introduction of the minimum wage for postal workers - which he fought for - boosted the company's share price. |