Corruption Suspicions: Phones Smuggled into Prison? Ex-Employee Charged

A former employee of Tegel prison in Berlin is facing corruption charges for allegedly smuggling dozens of mobile phones into the facility. The 38-year-old ex-employee is accused of collaborating with an inmate, accepting payment to bring at least 30 phones into the prison. The Berlin General Prosecutor's Office has filed charges against both individuals for 12 counts of bribery and corruption.

Prosecutors allege that the former employee provided the 41-year-old inmate with mobile phones valued at approximately 5,300 euros on twelve separate occasions between July 2023 and April 2024. In return, the inmate allegedly provided the employee with vouchers totaling 12,400 euros. Both men deny the accusations, and the presumption of innocence applies until a verdict is reached. The Tiergarten District Court will decide whether the case proceeds to trial.

Mobile phones are strictly prohibited within prisons, yet hundreds are smuggled in each year. Berlin's prison administration employs a specialized dog unit trained to detect electronic devices like phones, memory cards, and USB drives. Last year alone, 1,064 mobile phones were confiscated in Berlin's prisons, a figure consistent with previous years, according to data released by the Justice Administration in response to a parliamentary inquiry.