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Born in Germany · Nationality German — business / media / financial markets / financial disclosure

Thomas Haffa

Documented profile covering 5 controversies, including “February 2000: Sale of 200 000 EM.TV shares in breach of lock-up undertaking” and “August–October 2000: Overly favourable EM.TV half-year results published and subsequently corrected”.

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Profile No. 2260 · Updated on 12 October 2026

5Documented controversies

6Sources

0Formal charge · all time

1Conviction

§ Legal statuses reflect the documented sources as of the date shown; they replace neither court decisions nor the presumption of innocence. Counts are not a rating. Methodology

I. Documented controversies

2005–2010

2005–2010: Civil liability to certain shareholders for inaccurate financial information, with outcomes varying according to causation

Civil / administrative proceedings

German courts examined several claims brought by EM.TV shareholders. A Frankfurt Higher Regional Court decision held Thomas Haffa personally liable for intentional damage contrary to public morals and awarded approximately 10 000 euros to an investor; other claims failed for lack of causation, while a 2010 decision awarded approximately 24 000 euros in damages against Constantin Medien and the Haffa brothers but was not yet final when reported.

Attribution: Accused

Sources · 2

[1]
Süddeutsche ZeitungThomas Haffa muss erstmals zahlenPressHigh reliability
[2]
Rotter RechtsanwälteConstantin Medien AG (ehemals EM.TV) wegen falscher Kapitalmarktinformation zu Schadenersatz verurteiltPress releaseMedium reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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Case · 2 documented stages

2002–2006: Final criminal conviction for inaccurate presentation of EM.TV financial position

Conviction

2002–2006

2002–2006: Final criminal conviction for inaccurate presentation of EM.TV financial position

Conviction

Thomas Haffa was convicted of inaccurately presenting the financial position of a stock corporation under section 400 of the AktG and fined 240 daily units, set at 5 000 euros per day for him, totalling 1.2 million euros. The Federal Court of Justice rejected his appeal on the merits in December 2004; the subsequent constitutional challenge also failed.

State of the evidence: Established by a court
Attribution: Accused

Sources · 2

[1]
BundesgerichtshofBGH, Urteil vom 16. Dezember 2004 - 1 StR 420/03Court decisionVery high reliability
[2]
Der TagesspiegelHaffa-Brüder scheitern vor VerfassungsgerichtPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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2000-08-24–2000-10-09

August–October 2000: Overly favourable EM.TV half-year results published and subsequently corrected

Conviction

The half-year report published by EM.TV on 24 August 2000 presented an overly favourable financial position, notably by including items that could not be recognised over the full period. The group corrected its forecasts and disclosures in early October, contributing to a dramatic fall in its share price and numerous shareholder disputes.

Attribution: Direct responsibility

Sources · 2

[1]
BundesgerichtshofBGH, Urteil vom 16. Dezember 2004 - 1 StR 420/03Court decisionVery high reliability
[2]
Süddeutsche ZeitungThomas Haffa muss erstmals zahlenPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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2000; action engagée en 2004

2004: EM.TV lawsuit against Haffa brothers over SLEC/Formula 1 acquisition

Allegations

EM.TV brought proceedings against Thomas and Florian Haffa and a former supervisory board chairman, seeking approximately 148 million euros, among other amounts, and citing additional alleged losses related to the very expensive acquisition of 50% of SLEC, the company then controlling Formula 1 commercial rights. The company alleged excessive risk-taking and insufficient due diligence, among other things.

State of the evidence: Documented

Sources · 1

[1]
Der TagesspiegelEM.TV zieht Haffa-Brüder zur VerantwortungPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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2000-02

February 2000: Sale of 200 000 EM.TV shares in breach of lock-up undertaking

No legal proceedings

EM.TV confirmed that Thomas Haffa had sold approximately 200 000 shares despite a contractual lock-up undertaking with WestLB. Haffa acknowledged an error and explained that he had acted under pressure from strategic investors, maintaining that WestLB had been informed.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Direct responsibility

Sources · 1

[1]
Der TagesspiegelEM.TV-Medienkonzern bestätigt Verstoß gegen MindesthaltefristPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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II. Constellation of documented links

No documented link with another published profile for now.

Two profiles are linked when a documented controversy of one names the other. The link points to that controversy and its sources; it does not indicate a personal relationship.

III. Has something changed?

A new court decision, a missing source, a mistake? Tell us what should be updated: every request is read by the editorial team.

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