Image source: Instagram @jimbonader
The actor Jimi Blue Ochsenknecht is at the center of a serious scandal: he is said to have failed to pay a hotel bill of almost 14,000 euros. Hotel owner Wilhelm Steindl from Tyrol therefore had Ochsenknecht arrested at Hamburg airport. The story sounds like something out of a movie: Ochsenknecht celebrated his birthday with friends at the Hotel Sonne near Kitzbühel at the end of 2021 and only ate and drank the most expensive food. But when he wanted to leave, his credit card suddenly stopped working.
Luxury living on credit?
Steindl reports that Ochsenknecht had promised to transfer the money. But that never happened. "Mr. Ochsenknecht repeatedly begged for payment in instalments, but never paid despite accommodating offers," says Steindl. He took legal action in Austria and Germany and was successful, but the money still never came. So Steindl filed a lawsuit for serious fraud.
Lawyer vehemently disagrees
Sebastian Skradde, Ochsenknecht's lawyer, sees things differently. He told the Bild newspaper that it was a misunderstanding. "The facts of the case date back to 2022, when more than ten guests were in the hotel with Jimi." The hotel and Ochsenknecht had disagreed about the hotel costs. Jimi had offered a payment from which installments were still outstanding. "We simply paid the rest today to end the issue," said Skradde. He saw no reason why Jimi should be detained and hoped that he would soon be able to return to filming.
"Swindled and lied about"
Wilhelm Steindl vehemently contradicts these statements. "Ochsenknecht did write to me in an email at 2 p.m. on Wednesday that he had transferred the money. But nothing has arrived yet," says Steindl. He emphasizes that Ochsenknecht has often promised to pay in instalments, but has never done so. "That's why I'm cautious." According to Steindl, it is not true that only "installments were still outstanding". "That's just a lie. I can prove that." The claim that there were different opinions about "cooperation" is also false. Steindl had made Ochsenknecht a clear offer and issued the corresponding invoice. Ochsenknecht did not raise any objections at the court hearing.
Ochsenknecht in custody
Meanwhile, Jimi Blue Ochsenknecht is in custody. The case shows that even celebrities cannot put themselves above the law. It remains to be seen how the courts will decide and whether Ochsenknecht will actually settle his debts. Such an incident does not reflect well on him and could damage his career. Whether it really was a misunderstanding or whether Ochsenknecht deliberately tried to avoid paying his bill remains to be seen. One thing is clear: those who live large must also bear the consequences.
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