German far-right AfD lawmaker convicted of money laundering, coercion

BERLIN

A court in southern Germany found a far-right politician guilty of money laundering and coercion on Monday, drawing attention to the legal controversies surrounding the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

Daniel Halemba, a young member of the Bavarian state parliament, was fined 160 day-fines of €190 ($225) each – totaling €30,400 ($36,000). Prosecutors accused him of receiving suspicious transactions from an account in the Baltic states and coercing a student who wanted to testify against him in an investigation.

Throughout the proceedings, Halemba and his defense team portrayed themselves as victims of political persecution. They denied some accusations and dismissed others as not criminally relevant. "This is about throwing mud and creating a connection to National Socialism," he said in his testimony.

Police began investigating Halemba three years ago, raiding his residence and uncovering data storage devices with speeches by Adolf Hitler, Nazi-era marching songs, and music by banned bands featuring racist and antisemitic content. They also found a blank-firing pistol during the search.

Prosecutors also accused Halemba of incitement to hatred for playing a song by a neo-Nazi group at his 2022 birthday party. The lyrics expressed hate and threatened violence against Germany's Turkish immigrant community. Halemba denied being present when the song was played.