Uwe Gemballa – Interpol issue ‘Yellow Notice’

Uwe Gemballa

The ‘Hunt’ for Uwe Gemballa rumbles on with the issue of a ‘Yellow Notice’ by Interpol and a suggestion that Uwe may have left Germany to avoid tax issues.

We’ve been tempted to revisit the saga that is the disappearance of Uwe Gemballa on a number of occasions in the last few weeks as titbits of information trickle in. But really, that’s all they are; just titbits that back up what we already knew. Stories of financial difficulties and problems with the German tax man abound and may or may not be true.

It has now been suggested that the revelation that the German Government has bought a CD full of stolen data on German citizens with undeclared funds in Swiss banks – similar to the deal they did to buy another dodgy CD of German accounts in Lichtenstein a few years ago – may have panicked Uwe in to doing a runner. The dates certainly fit, although we have no idea if Uwe had accounts in Switzerland or not.

But the whole idea of a kidnap is now pretty ridiculous. No one gets kidnapped without the kidnappers seeking a ransom. There have been no demands. Uwe appears to have met a rather dodgy chap called Radovan Krejcir – a Czech financial refugee in South Africa – soon after he arrived to discuss a business venture.

Soon after he supposedly called his wife saying he was in trouble and neeed €1 million wiring. Subsequently the Gemballa family put up a reward for information on his whereabouts (since withdrawn) and we reported that Uwe set up a new Gemballa Company in his Mother’s name a short while before leaving for South Africa.

Gemballa Cars was then put in to administration by Uwe’s wife, who apparently had ‘Power of Attorney’ for her husband. Now I love my better half to bits, but divvy up a power of attorney? No way. Why would Uwe do that?

So many unanswered questions, and it looks likely to remain so. Speculation, conjecture and rumour all collide with the facts we know to suggest that almost certainly Uwe is missing because Uwe wants to be missing.  Interpol aren’t treating this as a crime – which says a lot – and have instead issued a Yellow Notice for Uwe Gemballa. That states him as missing. It doesn’t suggest he is a victim of crime and nor does it suggest he is wanted for any crime. They would have to upgrade to  Red Notice if he were ‘wanted’.

This will rumble on and on and I think we’ll leave it alone until we get something substantial . But if I were Uwe, and I saw the Yellow Notice from Interpol, I’d hold up my hands and come out of hiding just to get the passport photo they’ve used removed.