Picture 1661.pngNot sure how we missed this, but apparently Deutsche Bank spied on management, board members and one “troublesome” shareholder in particular a few years back. Not that big a deal, say the Germans, but now that there’s the possibility of a lawsuit they’ve told the guy they’re sorry, have put it out there that they’d love to forget it ever happened and wondered aloud whatever is German for “we cool?” during one incredibly awkward phone call.

The bank had external helpers investigate a shareholder believed to have links with Kirch — Michael Bohndorf, a lawyer who resides on the island of Ibiza. The investigators compiled detailed reports on his movements and even looked into whether he had any personal weaknesses: alcohol, gambling, women? One insider reports that the agency resorted to hiring women to test him.
For years, Bohndorf has been annoying Deutsche Bank by asking dozens of questions at annual shareholder meetings and taking legal action if his questions aren’t answered. The bank has already informed Bohndorf of the spying operation and apologized for it. Bohndorf couldn’t be reached by SPIEGEL last week by the time the current issue went to press.
Data protection officials in the western state of Hesse, the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and possibly even the public prosecutor’s office in Frankfurt will now have to check whether any laws were broken in the snooping operations.
Many members of Deutsche Bank’s supervisory board have little doubt that laws were broken. And they’re particularly worried about the Michael Bohndorf case. The litigious shareholder has proved that he doesn’t shy away from suing the company.

Clearly DB would never have gotten away with pulling a stunt like this on everyone’s favorite fractional bank owner Evelyn Davis, who’d cut a bitch (CEO) for stepping into her den (believe Ken Lewis, he’s tried).

Comments (18)

  1. Posted by guest | July 7, 2009 at 10:09 AM

    So Bill Belichick worked for Deutsche Bank too !!!????!!!
    ~The Forehead Slapper

  2. Posted by guest | July 7, 2009 at 10:11 AM

    They had Colonel Klink working the case…

  3. Posted by guest | July 7, 2009 at 10:11 AM

    Goldman does stuff like this all the time, it’s no big deal.

  4. Posted by guest | July 7, 2009 at 10:14 AM
  5. Posted by guest | July 7, 2009 at 10:20 AM

    who’s that hot piece of ass with the hammer? she can stalk me anytime!
    A. Greenspan

  6. Posted by guest | July 7, 2009 at 10:23 AM

    AG@5 fuck you. dick.
    -b. walters

  7. Posted by guest | July 7, 2009 at 10:28 AM

    @#5
    That’s Barbara Walters with the gavel there :)
    @#3
    I agree, it happens everywhere. what’s the big deal anyway? These Germans need to grow the fuck up! I think the idiotic DB supervisory board members are just trying to cover their arses. What’s wrong with spending some company money on collecting dirt on a serial shareholder pest?

  8. Posted by guest | July 7, 2009 at 10:33 AM

    fucking idiot@7 that’s evelyn davis in the picture

  9. Posted by guest | July 7, 2009 at 10:37 AM

    Goldman has software that does this. If used unfairly, it has the potential to manipulate what you do.

  10. Posted by guest | July 7, 2009 at 10:40 AM

    @9 nice

  11. Posted by HeadlessHorseman | July 7, 2009 at 11:02 AM

    “Ooooo kno u didunt!!!!”
    - Maxeen Watas

  12. Posted by guest | July 7, 2009 at 11:24 AM

    @8. Thanks Sherlock, now pick up my lunch order.

  13. Posted by guest | July 7, 2009 at 11:27 AM

    I find it very hard to believe that a German company would spy on its employees.

  14. Posted by guest | July 7, 2009 at 11:31 AM

    She looks like Dr. Zaius.

  15. Posted by guest | July 7, 2009 at 12:16 PM

    Back Office Wanker @#8 can’t take a joke.

  16. Posted by guest | July 7, 2009 at 12:50 PM

    I had to get paid somehow sonn.
    Ret. East German Stasi

  17. Posted by guest | July 7, 2009 at 3:35 PM

    She looks like she shared a plastic surgeon with Michael Jackson.

  18. Posted by guest | July 7, 2009 at 3:35 PM

    She looks like she shared a plastic surgeon with Michael Jackson.

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