Ecclestone denies paying bribe
Bernie Ecclestone has denied paying a $50 million bribe to Gerhard Gribkowsky, the former banker arrested for taking kickbacks in the sale of a large stake in F1's rights holding company.
Gribkowsky, who was in charge of managing the sale of public-sector wholesale bank BayernLB's F1 stake to CVC Capital Investment, was taken into custody on Wednesday. He is charged with corruption, tax fraud and breach of trust toward his former employer.
Prosecutors said he led the bank to sell its share "without evaluation of its current value" which, in turn, earned him "two consultancy contracts totaling $50 million."
CVC have already denied making any payments to the former banker while Ecclestone also insists he had no part in the kickbacks.
The F1 supremo has threatened to take legal action against anyone claiming he did.
"What the German newspapers speculate or the prosecutor suspects is false. This is absolute nonsense," Ecclestone told the Bild.
"I did not bribe him. I have nothing to do with these payments to Gribkowsky.
"I would not know why I would have given him money. He was in the negotiations on my side. I did not need to convince him."
Asked how he believed Gribkowsky could have secured the $50 million, Ecclestone said: "I do not know.
"As a member of the board of (F1 holding company) Delta Topco he received only a small salary. I know because I was the CEO.
"Ask the banks involved who might have paid him."
"If CVC says they had nothing to do with the payments, you can be absolutely sure that they are telling the truth. I can assure you."
He added: "If the German newspapers write that I had something to do with the payments, which is absolute nonsense, I will take them to court."
Credit: PlanetF1.com (www.planetf1.com)
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