{"id":1491,"date":"2026-05-18T09:56:54","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T07:56:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/galen.de\/?page_id=1491"},"modified":"2026-05-18T09:56:59","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T07:56:59","slug":"creditor-and-debtor-relief","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/galen.de\/en\/rechtsgebiete\/wirtschaftsstrafrecht\/insolvenzstrafrecht\/glaeubiger-und-schuldnerbeguenstigung\/","title":{"rendered":"Creditor and debtor preferential treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"1491\" class=\"elementor elementor-1491\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6acff9f e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"6acff9f\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b14b524 red-underline elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b14b524\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<style>.elementor-element-b14b524{display:none !important}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-90a7900 elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"90a7900\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/galen.de\/en\/#kontakt\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Contact<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6d4964c e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"6d4964c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ff3870e red-underline elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ff3870e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<style>.elementor-element-ff3870e{display:none !important}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-430f437 uael-faq-box-layout-yes align-at-left elementor-widget elementor-widget-uael-faq\" data-id=\"430f437\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"uael-faq.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div id='uael-faq-wrapper-703' class=\"uael-faq-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"uael-faq-container uael-faq-layout-accordion\" data-layout=\"accordion\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"uael-accordion-6b79aef\" class=\"uael-faq-accordion\" role=\"tablist\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class= \"uael-accordion-title\" aria-expanded=\"false\" role=\"tab\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon uael-accordion-icon-left\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-angle-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon-opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-angle-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-question-6b79aef uael-question-span\" tabindex=\"0\" id=\"uael-faq-1-6a148d2a65378\">Who can be a perpetrator under Section 283c of the German Criminal Code?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"uael-accordion-content\" role=\"tabpanel\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The perpetrator of preferential treatment of creditors can only be the debtor himself. However, third parties who participate in the preferential treatment\u2014such as business partners, employees, or relatives of the debtor\u2014can be criminally liable as instigators or accomplices. The favored creditor himself is generally not liable under Section 283c of the German Criminal Code (StGB) simply by accepting a benefit.<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">punishable.<\/span><\/p><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"uael-accordion-8183eaa\" class=\"uael-faq-accordion\" role=\"tablist\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class= \"uael-accordion-title\" aria-expanded=\"false\" role=\"tab\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon uael-accordion-icon-left\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-angle-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon-opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-angle-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-question-8183eaa uael-question-span\" tabindex=\"0\" id=\"uael-faq-2-6a148d2a65419\">Who can be a perpetrator under Section 283d of the German Criminal Code?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"uael-accordion-content\" role=\"tabpanel\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In principle, any person acting with the debtor&#039;s consent or on their behalf can be a perpetrator of preferential treatment of a debtor \u2013 for example, employees, business partners, or relatives of the debtor. The debtor themselves is not a suitable perpetrator under Section 283d of the German Criminal Code (StGB). However, they can be prosecuted under Section 283 of the German Criminal Code (bankruptcy).\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"uael-accordion-36f9a7b\" class=\"uael-faq-accordion\" role=\"tablist\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class= \"uael-accordion-title\" aria-expanded=\"false\" role=\"tab\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon uael-accordion-icon-left\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-angle-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon-opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-angle-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-question-36f9a7b uael-question-span\" tabindex=\"0\" id=\"uael-faq-3-6a148d2a65459\">Is the attempt punishable?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"uael-accordion-content\" role=\"tabpanel\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes. Both Section 283c Paragraph 2 and Section 283d Paragraph 2 of the German Criminal Code (StGB) criminalize even the attempt. Therefore, for example, merely beginning to transfer assets is sufficient, even if the transfer ultimately does not take place.<\/span><\/p><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"uael-accordion-9146b73\" class=\"uael-faq-accordion\" role=\"tablist\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class= \"uael-accordion-title\" aria-expanded=\"false\" role=\"tab\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon uael-accordion-icon-left\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-angle-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon-opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-angle-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-question-9146b73 uael-question-span\" tabindex=\"0\" id=\"uael-faq-4-6a148d2a65498\">What role does the insolvency estate play in the preferential treatment of debtors?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"uael-accordion-content\" role=\"tabpanel\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only actions relating to assets that would form part of the insolvency estate upon the commencement of insolvency proceedings are punishable. The civil law classification \u2013 for example, in the case of security assignments, retention of title, or trusts \u2013 is therefore often a central point in the proceedings. Without a connection to the insolvency estate, the objective elements of the offense are lacking.<\/span><\/p><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"uael-accordion-e3e4d09\" class=\"uael-faq-accordion\" role=\"tablist\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class= \"uael-accordion-title\" aria-expanded=\"false\" role=\"tab\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon uael-accordion-icon-left\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-angle-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon-opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-angle-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-question-e3e4d09 uael-question-span\" tabindex=\"0\" id=\"uael-faq-5-6a148d2a654c9\">When are cases considered particularly severe?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"uael-accordion-content\" role=\"tabpanel\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In cases of preferential treatment of debtors, Section 283d Paragraph 3 of the German Criminal Code (StGB) provides for an increased penalty of six months to ten years&#039; imprisonment \u2013 particularly if the perpetrator acts out of greed or knowingly endangers many people by placing them at risk of losing their assets or causing them financial hardship. For preferential treatment of creditors (Section 283c StGB), there is no legally defined particularly serious case.<\/span><\/p><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"uael-accordion-200c5cd\" class=\"uael-faq-accordion\" role=\"tablist\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class= \"uael-accordion-title\" aria-expanded=\"false\" role=\"tab\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon uael-accordion-icon-left\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-angle-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon-opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-angle-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-question-200c5cd uael-question-span\" tabindex=\"0\" id=\"uael-faq-6-6a148d2a65514\">Do I need to have certain knowledge of the insolvency?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"uael-accordion-content\" role=\"tabpanel\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Criminal liability for preferential treatment of creditors under Section 283c Paragraph 1 of the German Criminal Code (StGB) always requires certain knowledge of insolvency \u2013 conditional intent is not sufficient in this respect.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Section 283d of the German Criminal Code (StGB) contains two variants of the offense. Section 283d paragraph 1 number 1 requires acting with knowledge of impending insolvency. Section 283d paragraph 1 number 2, on the other hand, covers cases where the offense is committed after a cessation of payments, during ongoing insolvency proceedings, or during the preliminary proceedings. In this case, conditional intent with regard to all elements of the offense is sufficient; knowledge of impending insolvency is not required. <\/span><\/p><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"uael-accordion-0de18e3\" class=\"uael-faq-accordion\" role=\"tablist\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class= \"uael-accordion-title\" aria-expanded=\"false\" role=\"tab\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon uael-accordion-icon-left\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-angle-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon-opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-angle-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-question-0de18e3 uael-question-span\" tabindex=\"0\" id=\"uael-faq-7-6a148d2a65563\">Can I commit a crime even before insolvency proceedings have begun?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"uael-accordion-content\" role=\"tabpanel\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes. Both Sections 283c and 283d of the German Criminal Code (StGB) cover actions taken before the commencement of insolvency proceedings. However, the decisive factor is always that one of the objective conditions for criminal liability \u2013 cessation of payments, commencement of insolvency proceedings, or rejection of the commencement due to insufficient assets \u2013 actually occurs later.<\/span><\/p><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"uael-accordion-6e27a6b\" class=\"uael-faq-accordion\" role=\"tablist\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class= \"uael-accordion-title\" aria-expanded=\"false\" role=\"tab\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon uael-accordion-icon-left\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-angle-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon-opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-angle-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-question-6e27a6b uael-question-span\" tabindex=\"0\" id=\"uael-faq-8-6a148d2a655ac\">Are there any further consequences besides a fine or imprisonment?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"uael-accordion-content\" role=\"tabpanel\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to fines or imprisonment, confiscation measures, as well as professional or corporate law consequences, may be imposed. Civil liability risks \u2013 for example, under Section 15b of the German Insolvency Code (InsO) \u2013 may also exist. The economic and professional repercussions of an investigation can therefore often be significant \u2013 even if it ultimately does not lead to charges.<\/span><\/p><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"uael-accordion-c82ed5e\" class=\"uael-faq-accordion\" role=\"tablist\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class= \"uael-accordion-title\" aria-expanded=\"false\" role=\"tab\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon uael-accordion-icon-left\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-angle-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-accordion-icon-opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-angle-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uael-question-c82ed5e uael-question-span\" tabindex=\"0\" id=\"uael-faq-9-6a148d2a655f5\">What should I do if I am under investigation?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"uael-accordion-content\" role=\"tabpanel\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do not make any statements about the matter without first seeking legal advice. Exercise your right to remain silent and contact a criminal defense attorney immediately. The sooner you seek legal support, the greater your options will be.<\/span><\/p><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ermittlungsverfahren wegen Gl\u00e4ubiger- und Schuldnerbeg\u00fcnstigung \u2013 Wenn Verm\u00f6gensverschiebungen strafrechtlich gepr\u00fcft werden Wer in der Krise einen Gl\u00e4ubiger bevorzugt oder Verm\u00f6genswerte eines anderen beiseiteschafft, kann sich schnell mit dem Vorwurf der Gl\u00e4ubigerbeg\u00fcnstigung (\u00a7 283c StGB) oder der Schuldnerbeg\u00fcnstigung (\u00a7 283d StGB) konfrontiert sehen \u2013 und dies in einer wirtschaftlich oft ohnehin belastenden Situation. \u00a7 283c StGB [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":1423,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1491","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/galen.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1491","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/galen.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/galen.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/galen.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/galen.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1491"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/galen.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1491\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1496,"href":"https:\/\/galen.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1491\/revisions\/1496"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/galen.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1423"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/galen.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1491"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}