There is said to have been a popular joke among employees of the Cologne tour operator itravel recently: The company's office is so close to the Cologne-Ossendorf correctional facility that the company's founder, Axel Schmiegelow, will one day be able to use the company's WiFi while in prison.

What may previously have been just a running joke among the workforce has now actually happened: two weeks ago, on April 2, 2024, police officers arrested the managing director of the itravel group. The 51-year-old entrepreneur has been in custody ever since. This was confirmed by the Cologne public prosecutor's office. The Cologne district court had previously issued an arrest warrant for Schmiegelow. There is a “risk of escape” and a “risk of recurrence”.

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