The General Prosecutor’s Office in Berlin has dropped the criminal case against Bundestag faction leader Jens Spahn (CDU) concerning the purchase of face masks during his tenure as federal health minister. The office announced on Monday that the case was closed without launching formal investigations.
Since early June 2025, more than 170 criminal complaints have been filed against Spahn, largely for acceptance of benefits and misappropriation. Because Spahn enjoys parliamentary immunity as a member of the Bundestag, the allegations were initially recorded as inquiries. To examine the facts, the prosecutor’s office reviewed the report of expert Margaretha Sudhof and findings from the Federal Court of Auditors. Those reports were scrutinised in particular with respect to direct awards, the engagement of a logistics company, and the Open‑House procedure at the Federal Ministry of Health.
The preliminary criminal investigation found no sufficient factual evidence of wrongdoing. Consequently, the prosecutor’s office decided to close the case.