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Deutsche Bank searched by prosecutors over cum-cum probe tied to historical Postbank transactions

Deutsche Bank searched by prosecutors over cum-cum probe tied to historical Postbank transactions

German authorities searched Deutsche Bank’s Frankfurt headquarters in a Postbank-era cum-cum tax probe, in what the Financial Times described as the third raid at the site this year.

Fact Check
Multiple independent reputable outlets (Anadolu Agency, Arab News, FT, Morningstar/Dow Jones, Daily Sabah) all report on 22 July 2026 that German prosecutors searched Deutsche Bank's Frankfurt headquarters over a cum-cum tax probe tied to Postbank transactions (2008-2010). The FT search result explicitly carries the 'raided for third time this year' framing cited in the claim. All key claim elements are corroborated.
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Summary

German authorities searched Deutsche Bank’s Frankfurt headquarters on Wednesday as part of an investigation into suspected tax evasion linked to historical cum-cum transactions involving Postbank, the lender Deutsche Bank acquired in 2009. About 70 investigators from the public prosecutor’s office and tax investigation unit took part, and Deutsche Bank said it was cooperating. German media said the Duesseldorf public prosecutor’s office is leading the case, which centers on Postbank transactions code-named “Riesling” with a British investment bank between 2008 and 2010. The Financial Times described the action as the third raid at the headquarters this year, adding to broader scrutiny of the bank.

Terms & Concepts
  • cum-cum transactions: Share trades around dividend dates designed to reduce or avoid withholding tax on dividends.
  • withholding tax: Tax deducted at source from payments such as dividends before the investor receives them.
  • cum-ex schemes: Trading arrangements that enabled multiple parties to claim tax refunds on a single dividend payment.