German Court Delays Verdict in Case of Alleged Academic Forgery

The trial of a 70-year-old accused of fabricating a book to falsely accuse a forensic expert of plagiarism faces further postponement after the defendant failed to appear.

The defendant is accused of orchestrating a complex forgery of a scientific book to falsely implicate a forensic expert in a plagiarism scandal.
Prosecutors allege the forgery was motivated by personal revenge after the defendant's mother's autopsy was conducted against his wishes in 2020.
The fabricated book, purportedly from the 1980s, was allegedly created with assistance from hired collaborators in Pakistan and included content from the expert's dissertation.
Delays in the trial have occurred due to procedural issues, including a pending recusal motion against the judge and the defendant's absence at the latest hearing.
The prosecution has sought a prison sentence of two years and ten months, citing the defendant's alleged use of 'unparalleled criminal energy' in the scheme.