Date for publication of annual and consolidated financial statements 2019 delayed due to indications of presentation of spurious balance confirmations
Wirecard AG's auditor Ernst & Young GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, Munich, informed Wirecard AG that no sufficient audit evidence could be obtained so far of cash balances on trust accounts to be consolidated in the consolidated financial statements in the amount of EUR 1.9 billion (approximately a quarter of the consolidated balance sheet total).
There are indications that spurious balance confirmations had been provided from the side of the trustee respectively of the trustee's account holding banks to the auditor in order to deceive the auditor and create a wrong perception of the existence of such cash balances or the holding of the accounts for to the benefit of Wirecard group companies. The Wirecard management board is working intensively together with the auditor towards a clarification of the situation.
In light of the above the audit of the annual and the consolidated financial statements 2019 will not be concluded as planned by June 18, 2020. A new date will be announced. If certified annual and consolidated financial statements cannot be made available until June 19, 2020, loans made to Wirecard AG amounting to approximately EUR 2 billion can be terminated.
To round things off, we’ll re-up this from March 28 2019. Just for posterity’s sake: