November 14, 2023
Russia expert Seipel received 600,000 euros from an oligarch close to Putin. This is what ZDF research shows. The journalist does not see his impartiality compromised.
“Deed of Sponsorship” is simply written on the paper from March 2018, which is supposed to bring the well-known German television journalist and author Hubert Seipel the astonishing sum of 600,000 euros. According to that contract, Seipel was writing “a book about the political landscape in the Russian Federation.” And the generous sponsor, a Caribbean shell company called “De Vere Worldwide Corporation,” would like to use the sum to “support the development of the project.”
Ultimately, behind the obscure shell company is the Russian oligarch Alexei Mordaschov, a long-time major shareholder of TUI, probably worth twenty billion US dollars and so close to Russian President Vladimir Putin that Mordaschov has been sanctioned by the USA and the European Union since February 2022.
The book “funded” in this way actually appeared in 2021, under the title: “Putin’s Power. Why Europe Needs Russia”. However, no one at his Hamburg publishing house “Hoffmann und Campe” knew that Seipel had been paid hundreds of thousands of euros by a Putin confidant. At least that’s what “Hoffmann and Campe” explains to ZDF and “Spiegel”. A handwritten note in the leaked documents also indicates that Seipel had already signed a similar contract for his first book about President Putin in 2013 – which he does not deny.
Source: ZDF
Seipel portrayed Putin as a caretaker
Seipel, who also worked for ZDF a good fifteen years ago, has shaped the image of Vladimir Putin in Germany for years, largely with the ARD documentary “I, Putin” from 2012. The German journalist shows Putin as someone who tirelessly looks after his great country. Millions of Germans see the Russian president through Seipel’s eyes. The documentary was supervised by “Norddeutscher Rundfunk” (NDR). The broadcaster says that until today he did not know anything about a sponsorship contract and promises to clarify the matter.
Seipel is the first known case of an influential Western journalist who received generous and, above all, secret flows of money from Russia’s elite around President Putin.
Are the payments an attempt to exert influence? The process enormously questions Seipel’s work over the past 15 years, in which he has focused on Russia, and his journalistic credibility. During this time, Seipel won, among other things, the German Television Prize for his interview with the US whistleblower Edward Snowden, which he conducted in Moscow. Experts have repeatedly pointed out Seipel’s uncritical attitude towards the Russian government in the past.
Seipel admits payment – but insists on impartiality
The research into Seipel’s sponsorship contract is part of the “Cyprus Confidential” project, in which more than 270 journalists from 69 media companies have evaluated leaked data from Cyprus in the past few months – under the leadership of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ ) and from the investigative editorial team paper trail media. In addition to ZDF, the media partners include “Spiegel”, “Standard”, “ORF”, the Swiss media company “Tamedia” as well as “Washington Post”, “Guardian” and “Le Monde”.
In a detailed statement, Seipel admits that the oligarch Alexei Mordashov supported his “book projects.” However, he vehemently denies that this compromised his impartiality. He refers to a passage in the contract that has now been leaked, according to which he has “no obligation” to the sponsor regarding the project, i.e. “the content and composition of the book.”
Seipel denied in 2021 that he had received money from Russia
Mordashov left a ZDF query about the matter unanswered, as did Russian President Putin. However, Seipel does not explain why he did not disclose his pay. Even when asked , he vehemently denied having ever received any money from Russia in a “SWR” interview in 2021.
In response to a request from ZDF, the “NDR” and “Hoffmann and Campe” have now stated that they will have the processes examined internally, also with a view to legal action. The “NDR” also explains that Seipel should have informed “about any conflict of interests, such as payment.” According to the “NDR”, if a “payment was made to influence an author”, the broadcaster would be “deceived” and “deceived” itself and its audience.
Surprise?
No, not really.
To be a pro-mafia person, you must be either brainless, evil, or corrupt. Seipel is proven to be corrupt. This raises the question, in what category is Trump? Carlson? Gaetz? Taylor-Greene? The rest of mafia arse givers in this world?
All of the above.
America has money to support Ukraine for only 3 weeks left.
No big surprise that Russia has been paying jozrnalists for spreading a positive picture of the regime, but this case still shouldn’t be underestimated. Mr. Seipel had been widely seen as the leading Putine-expert, even though real experts of the country had criticized his lack of knowledge of the people and the language. His biographies of the dictator had found a large readership, one of his videos had been seen as so essential by the publuc bruadcasting network that it had been shown an astounding 51 times. So, his views certainly shaped the public view of Russia to a certain extent and even influenced politicians. Good that his shady business has been uncovered now, but the harm has been done.
And, his information was still so wrong, it baffles the mind that so many people sucked this shit up as it were chocolate ice cream instead of outing him for what he is; a bought and paid for mafia whore. Humanity is basically stupid.
Interesting photo of the war criminal above, I do not recall him wearing a wedding ring before…
He must’ve stolen it from someone, like he stole Robert Kraft’s Super Bowl ring.