German bishop, already facing questions over building lavish residence, now has legal problem

Published January 13, 2015

A German bishop already facing questions over his new multi-million dollar residence now has legal problems on allegations he lied to a court.

Hamburg prosecutors said Thursday they asked a court to fine Limburg Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst for providing false testimony.

Tebartz-van Elst had filed a civil court claim against Der Spiegel magazine for a report he took a first-class flight to India on a trip to visit poor children.

He questioned Spiegel's report that he claimed to have flown business class, stating in an affidavit he had never said that. Hamburg prosecutors say the affidavit is false.

Tebartz-van Elst's office had no comment.

He's already been under fire for a 31 million euro ($41.9 million) residence, which he defended in Bild newspaper Thursday as "ten separate building projects."

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