Munich - Not since bent NYC lawyer Steven Donziger perpetrated the mass bribery of Ecuador's justice department, judges, court officials, etc, in the notorious $19bn Chevron scam has another sovereign state's judicial system been exposed as blatantly corrupt.
This time it's Germany that's in the dock with Bernie Ecclestone, boss of the F1 racing empire, accused of bribing a German banker with a $44m 'inducement' as part of the sale of a major stake in the motor sport business.
His lengthy and complex Munich trial which started in April this year saw the 84 year-old face 10 years jail time plus unlimited fines as prosecutors tightened the noose on a crumbling and frankly pathetic defence.
Today it's virtually all over bar the kickbacks as the presiding judge announced the court would accept at $100m settlement in the case.
Ecclestone had previously admitted bribing Bavarian wanker - uh, banker! - Gerhard Gribkowsky who is now serving an eight year jail sentence in Spandau's Rudolf Hess Wing.
Gribkowski, who snitched up Ecclestone in a plea deal that saw his 14 year sentence reduced to eight following 'cooperation', is likely to be out of jail by Christmas for 'good behavior'.
Both men contributed heavily to German Chancellor Angela Merkel's recent re-election campaign.
