In Meiningen, Thuringia, Mandy Ewald, 38, broke down in tears in front of the regional court as she recounted the betrayal by her former friend Yvonne K., a 47-year-old lawyer. The two had been close friends, with their children playing together and sharing special occasions. However, Yvonne K. is now facing charges of breach of trust for embezzling around 400,000 euros from Mandy Ewald in 18 cases in order to pay off her own debts.
The situation became even more dire for the Ewald family when they were involved in a tragic traffic accident in 2019, leaving them with serious injuries and in need of financial support. Mandy’s daughter Anne-Sophie, 19, suffered severe physical and cognitive impairments as a result of the accident, requiring constant care and support. Despite knowing the family’s dire circumstances, Yvonne K. continued to deceive Mandy, even going as far as lying about the reasons for delayed payments from the insurance company.
Yvonne K. admitted to the embezzlement in court, citing her own dire financial situation as the reason behind her actions. She expressed regret and apologized, but Mandy Ewald remained unimpressed, having not received an apology directly. When Mandy discovered the truth about the embezzlement, she tried to report it to the police but was dissuaded by Yvonne K., who offered a partial repayment of 50,000 euros. Despite further repayments, a significant amount of 385,000 euros remains outstanding.
This is not the first time Yvonne K. has faced charges of embezzlement, prompting the judge to hand down a sentence of five years and six months in prison. Yvonne K. was also ordered to repay the full amount of embezzled funds.