Garderobemannen’s chairman sentenced to unconditional prison terms and millions in compensation – news Østfold – Local news, TV and radio

Erik Bøckmann has also been disqualified from being chairman and general manager for 5 years, writes Økokrim in a press release. The case concerns serious bankruptcy crime, where the chairman failed to petition the insolvent company for bankruptcy, writes Økokrim further. – We are satisfied that the court has followed our assessment. It shows that you can be held liable both with a prison sentence and compensation if you operate for too long at the creditors’ expense, says First State Attorney Bård Thorsen to news. The district court points out in particular that the customers were involuntary creditors who could not have known that it was advances from the purchase of wardrobes that financed the operation of the insolvent company. The judgment is not final. It is unknown whether Bøckmann will appeal. Customers paid 35 million in advance. For more than 20 years, the company has sold wardrobes to people throughout the country. In the indictment, it emerged that Økokrim thought owner and former chairman Erik Bøckmann should have filed for bankruptcy as early as 2019. It is more than a year before the company went bankrupt for the first time in April 2020. Økokrim already started an investigation then. Søndre Østfold District Court has not found examples of businesses that have been to such a degree in an underbalance and at the same time kept going for just under 15 months. This is due to an exceptionally unprofessional operation, writes the court. The business had at most approx. NOK 200 million in turnover and 140 employees. Customers had prepaid for wardrobe solutions for NOK 35 million when the company’s first bankruptcy was a fact. In autumn 2021, Økokrim received permission from Søndre Østfold District Court to search Bøckmann’s home, workplace, cabins and cars. According to E24, Økokrim secured assets worth NOK 40 million. It is the bankruptcy estate of Garderobemannen that has been awarded NOK 26.5 million in compensation.



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