Baumann’s attempted bribery of Leinen

Holger Baumann’s attempted bribery of Caspar Leinen becomes known through Richard Mattinger’s account of its immediate consequence: Johanna Meyer dismissed Baumann from his position as the company lawyer after hearing what he had done. The disclosure links the attempted bribe not only to Leinen’s role in the trial but also to a decisive rupture within the Meyer company.

Disclosure of the Attempt

Outside the door, Richard Mattinger’s chauffeur was waiting by the car. Mattinger told Caspar Leinen that Johanna Meyer had fired Holger Baumann the previous day. He described her as outraged on learning that Baumann had tried to bribe Leinen. The account establishes the attempt and its target, but does not specify what Baumann offered or how he approached Leinen.

Consequences

Baumann’s attempted intervention cost him his position as company lawyer. The firing is presented as a direct response to Johanna Meyer’s discovery of the attempt, not as a consequence of a disclosed investigation or legal proceeding. Mattinger’s report also makes the attempt part of the trial’s surrounding conflict: an effort to influence Leinen is followed by a professional penalty for the person who tried it.