Latest news with #anonymousDonor
Bloomberg
6 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
US Soccer to Set Up Offices at Manhattan's 9 West 57th Tower
The US Soccer Federation is taking office space at Soloviev Group's tower at 9 W. 57th St. in Manhattan. US Soccer's new spot, located on the building's 23rd floor, will serve as a satellite office for locally based and visiting staff, according to a statement Monday. The move was funded by an anonymous philanthropic contribution.
Daily Mail
16-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Mystery donor ensures Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner's freedom from prison
A mystery donor has ensured that the key suspect in Madeleine McCann 's disappearance will walk free from prison, it has been revealed. Christian Brueckner is the main suspect in the unsolved disappearance of three-year-old Madeleine McCann, who vanished from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007. The 48-year-old, who is currently serving a seven-year jail sentence in Germany for the 2005 rape of an American woman, then 72, in the same Algarve resort, is set to be released on September 17. Investigators, who suspect that Brueckner played a part in young Madeleine's disappearance, had initially hoped to keep the German national behind bars as a result of an outstanding €1,446 fine from a previous conviction in 2015. If Brueckner were unable to pay it, he would have been forced to serve another 56 days of 'alternative imprisonment', with it hoped that the extension of his jail sentence would help buy investigators more time to bring fresh charges in the McCann case. But now, an anonymous donor has paid the fine, granting Brueckner his long-awaited freedom from prison in just three months time, Bild has reported. Brueckner's lawyer, Dr. Friedrich Fülscher, told Bild that they believed upon his release the convicted paedophile plans to live on the island of Sylt in northern Germany, where he previously received a 21 month sentence for drug dealing. However, prosecutors fear that he will flee Germany, meaning that it will be incredibly challenging to bring him to court should they find enough evidence to charge him in connection with Madeleine's disappearance. Brueckner, who has been under investigation by German police in connection with Madeleine's disappearance since 2020, has vehemently denied the allegations. Last October, he was also cleared of a series of unrelated sex attacks that took place in the Algarve between 2000 and 2017. Brueckner's lawyer Philipp Marquort previously told MailOnline that he believed the sexual offender 'will leave Germany' when released, but that he would likely remain in jail until early 2026. He added: 'I haven't had a chance to speak with him yet about the searches and I am not going to comment on what has been happening in Portugal. 'What I will say is that I don't think he will be coming out in September as he doesn't have any money to pay the fines because it went on his legal fees, so I can't see him leaving prison until early next year. 'He will probably see the news on the TV in his cell and he will talk about it when he calls me next time but I still do think when he is freed he will leave Germany.' News of his the alleged anonymous donor comes just weeks after two buried guns were discovered during an intensive three-day search operation near Brueckner's former ramshackle cottage home close to where Madeleine vanished. Earlier this month, German authorities launched fresh searches through Atalaia - a stretch of scrubland littered with rubbish and graffiti-covered buildings linked by a network of dusty tracks known in Portuguese as the Fisherman's Trail. Prosecutors fear that if released Brueckner will flee Germany, meaning that it will be incredibly challenging to bring him to court should they find enough evidence to charge him in connection with Madeleine's disappearance Earlier this month, German authorities launched fresh searches through Atalaia (pictured) - a stretch of scrubland littered with rubbish and graffiti-covered buildings linked by a network of dusty tracks known in Portuguese as the Fisherman's Trail Connecting Praia da Luz with the nearby town of Lagos, the track is a popular hiking route for tourists, but for four days last week it was cordoned off for members of the BKA - Germany 's equivalent of the FBI - to conduct searches. The search marked the first in Portugal for more than two years, following a near-week-long operation involving Portugese, German and police officers at a remote dam a 40-minute drive from Praia da Luz. However, not everyone was happy with the results of the estimated £300,000 operation, with one officer telling MailOnline that they believed merely 'animal bones and bits of adult clothing' had been discovered. They added: 'We always knew it was going to be a waste of time but we have to show cooperation. 'What did they expect to find after 18 years? We were happy to work with them but we knew it would be a waste of time.' But Portuguese media claimed the search turned up enough material that investigators deemed worthy of further analysis at a laboratory. 'During the search, several items were seized that will be examined further by the German police,' reported CNN Portugal. The searches in May 2023 at Arade Dam, an 'area of interest' that Brueckner reportedly called his 'little paradise', came to nothing. In a newly unearthed letter seen earlier this month, Brueckner boasted that police don't have evidence to pin allegations against him in relation to the McCann case, gloating how the dropping of the probe 'will hit the world like a bomb' Brueckner, who has been under investigation by German police in connection with Madeleine's disappearance since 2020, has vehemently denied the allegations Meanwhile, in a newly unearthed letter seen earlier this month, the German paedophile boasted that police don't have evidence to pin allegations against him in relation to the toddler's case, gloating how the dropping of the probe 'will hit the world like a bomb'. In the spine-chilling correspondence from prison in his native Germany, where he is currently behind bars for rape, he wrote: 'Is there a body? No, no no.' In a letter seen by The Sun, he claimed the 'important' and 'decisive' questions about his involvement in Madeleine's disappearance have been left unanswered. He questioned if his vehicle was 'clearly' spotted on the night of the crime near where toddler vanished, and if his DNA or 'an injured person' had been found. He added: 'Are there other traces/DNA carriers of the injured party in my possession? Photos?' Disturbing clues were also discovered at the sex offender's abandoned lair in Germany as the probe into Madeleine's disappearance intensified in May, with prosecutors sure the youngster is dead. During a previous search, a bombshell cache of horrifying documents, pictures, children's swimming costumes (pictured) and toys was reportedly uncovered at a former box-making factory Brueckner bought in 2008, a year after Madeleine was last seen A bombshell cache of horrifying documents, pictures, children's swimming costumes and toys was reportedly uncovered at a former box-making factory he bought in 2008, a year after the British girl was last seen. Among the disturbing finds was a hard drive of images that police are said to have kept secret - but are reportedly thought to uphold investigators' long-held belief that Madeleine was killed. Police reportedly later found an insurance document that is said to corroborate an informant's account that he allegedly confessed to her murder in Spain in 2008. The materials found by police, revealed in a Sun investigation broadcast on Channel 4, shed new light on Brueckner's disturbing obsession with children and his potential involvement in the case.
The Sun
16-06-2025
- The Sun
Mystery woman pays Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner's £1,200 fines – confirming date monster will be freed
A MYSTERY woman has paid Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner's £1,200 of outstanding fines. The monster's release date from prison is now confirmed for September 17 after prosecutors had hoped to keep him behind bars. 5 5 5 Brueckner, 48, owed €1,446 (£1,232) for a fine from a previous conviction, Bild reports. The unpaid money had been hoped to keep Brueckner behind bars until the end of January - giving investigators crucial time to bring charges over the missing British toddler. But an anonymous donor has now paid the fine - allowing Brueckner to walk free when he was due to. Brueckner's own lawyers revealed the mystery woman's help in German newspaper Bild but it remains unclear who she is. Tuesday marks exactly three months until the man suspected of kidnapping and killing the three-year-old Brit will walk free. Brueckner's lawyers claim the fiend plans to live on German millionaire playboy island of Sylt, where Brueckner previously dealt drugs. But prosecutors fear he has plans to leave Germany. If he travels to a non-extradition country it could be impossible to bring him back for a court case. Brueckner is also reported to have had extensive cosmetic surgery in the past to alter his appearance raising the possibility her could do it again. He has a long history of evading court sentences and police. The mystery payment comes after a gun was reportedly found during the latest search near Bruckner's former ramshackle cottage in the Praia da Luz area. The 48-year-old German sex offender is said to have carried a gun with him during his time living in the Algarve. The three-day search had widely been labelled a flop after police appeared to leave the site next to Praia da Luz empty-handed last week. 5 As eagle-eyed police did find tiny fragments, which they are speculating could have links to Madeleine after prime suspect Brueckner wild camped at the site, the Berlin Morning Post reported. The samples were sent to Germany for testing amid hopes they could finally reveal the forensic link cops are missing on the case. Cops are understood to have found clothes and animal bones during the extensive search through an area known as Brueckner's "rat run". Without evidence pinning Madeleine's disappearance to the convicted German rapist, prosecutors risk not being able to get the arrest warrant they need to keep Brueckner behind bars. The search took place around an area of scrubland which is located close to where the British toddler was staying with her parents back in 2007. It was reported that animal bones and adult clothing were the only things unearthed - but no traces could be linked to Madeleine. This quickly dashed hopes of pinning Brueckner with fresh DNA evidence until the latest developments today. It comes as The Sun uncovered new Maddie evidence in a bombshell documentary. The world exclusive doc lifts the lid on gripping new information and reveals why Brueckner is the prime suspect. Our compelling investigation unveils the horrors found at his abandoned factory lair - and his obsession with small children. TIMELINE OF EVENTS HERE'S a timeline of the case which has gripped the world. May 3, 2007 Madeleine McCann disappears from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, sparking a massive police search and becoming one of the most famous missing persons cases in history. January 15, 2016 Neighbour reports a possible 'grave' at Brueckner's abandoned factory in East Germany. Cops find disturbing images on USB sticks and launch a full-scale search. February 16, 2016 Christian Brueckner is convicted for abusing a girl of five in a park after images found on his laptop. He was sentenced to 15-months behind bars but was already on the run by then. May 3, 2017 Around this time, Helge B calls an information hotline after watching a ten-year anniversary special on the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. He reports an alleged confession by Christian Brueckner. September 27, 2018 On-the-run Christian Brueckner is arrested over outstanding drugs claims in Italy. He is extradited to Germany the following year. December 16, 2019 Christian Brueckner was convicted, in Germany, for the 2005 rape of an American woman in Praia da Luz, Portugal, after his DNA was matched to a hair found on her bed. He was sentenced to seven years behind bars. June 4, 2020 German prosecutors reveal to the world they have a suspect in custody under investigation for the abduction of Madeleine McCann. For the first time they claim Madeleine is dead. German media later name him as Christian B (Christian Brueckner). June 23, 2023 In his first interview, witness Helge B alleges to German newspaper Bild that Christian Brueckner all-but-confessed the Madeleine abduction to him, by allegedly saying 'she didn't scream' as they talked about the case, at a music festival, in Spain. February 16, 2024 Brueckner goes on trial accused of none-McCann allegations of rape and sex assault, in Braunschweig, Germany. Prosecutors hope for a conviction to keep him behind bars permanently and lead to McCann charges. October 8, 2024 Brueckner was acquitted of all claims. Prosecutors launch an appeal, however. Decision pending. September 17, 2025 Date on which Christian Brueckner will be released from custody without action being taken. Prosecutors require an arrest warrant for a retrial over claims from last year - or over the McCann case. June 1, 2025 Police order a renewed search for clues in Praia Da Luz on the Algarve in Portugal. It lasts for just three days.
