Andrea Tandler Wikipedia, Age, Parents, Husband, Mask Affair, Net Worth, Biography
Andrea Tandler is a Swiss-German entrepreneur who made headlines in 2021 for her role in a lucrative mask deal with the German government that sparked a political scandal and a criminal investigation. Tandler, who is the daughter of former CSU politician Gerold Tandler and a close acquaintance of CSU MEP Monika Hohlmeier, helped two young Swiss businessmen sell corona protective masks from China to German ministries for more than 670 million euros, earning commissions in the tens of millions.
The deal raised questions about the transparency, accountability, and legality of the procurement process, as well as the quality and price of the masks. Tandler and her partner have been in custody since January 2021 on charges of tax evasion.
Early Life, Birthday & Family
Andrea Tandler was born in 1974 in Munich, Germany, to Gerold Tandler and his wife Gabriele. Her father was a prominent CSU politician who served as the General Secretary of the party from 1979 to 1983 and as the Bavarian Minister of Finance from 1988 to 1994.
Her mother was a teacher and a journalist. Tandler grew up in a wealthy and influential family, with connections to the political and business elite of Bavaria and Germany. She attended a private school in Munich and later studied business administration at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland.
What Does Andrea Tandler Do?
Tandler started her career as a PR consultant and worked for various companies and organizations, including Siemens, BMW, Deutsche Bank, and the World Economic Forum. She also founded her own PR company, Little Penguin GmbH, in 2009.
According to her LinkedIn profile, she specialized in “strategic communication, crisis management, reputation management, media relations, public affairs, and corporate social responsibility”. She also claimed to have “extensive experience in international project management, especially in emerging markets such as China, India, Brazil, and Russia”.
The Mask Deal
In March 2020, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Germany faced a severe shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE), especially masks. The Federal Ministry of Health, led by Jens Spahn (CDU), launched an emergency procurement program to buy large quantities of masks from various suppliers, both domestic and foreign. The program was criticized for its lack of transparency, oversight, and quality control, as well as for its high costs and potential corruption.
One of the biggest suppliers of masks to Germany was Emix Trading AG, a Swiss company founded in 2019 by two young entrepreneurs, Alexander E. and Emil M., both aged 22 at the time. Emix claimed to have access to millions of masks from China through its network of contacts and intermediaries. The company offered to sell KN95 masks, which are equivalent to the European standard FFP2 masks, for 9.90 euros per piece, which was significantly higher than the market price at the time.
The contact between Emix and the German government was facilitated by Andrea Tandler, who acted as a broker and a project manager for Emix. Tandler knew Alexander E. through her partner N., who was his godfather. She also knew Monika Hohlmeier, the daughter of former Bavarian premier Franz Josef Strauss and a CSU MEP, who helped her get in touch with Spahn and other officials. Tandler reportedly used her political connections and her PR skills to convince Spahn and others that Emix was a reliable and trustworthy partner.
Between March and June 2020, Emix sold more than 67 million masks to Germany for a total amount of over 670 million euros. The masks were delivered by chartered planes from China to Germany, where they were inspected by customs authorities and distributed to various federal and state ministries, as well as hospitals and care homes. Emix also sold masks to other countries, such as Austria, Switzerland, and Italy.
The Scandal
The mask deal between Emix and Germany soon came under scrutiny by the media and the public prosecutors. Several issues were raised about the deal:
- The quality of the masks: Some of the masks delivered by Emix were found to be defective or counterfeit. For example, in April 2020, Bavaria recalled 2.5 million masks from Emix after tests showed that they did not meet the required standards. In May 2020, North Rhine-Westphalia rejected 6 million masks from Emix after discovering that they had fake certificates. In June 2020, Austria reported that some of the masks from Emix had faulty ear loops that broke easily.
- The price of the masks: The price paid by Germany for the masks from Emix was much higher than the average market price at the time. According to a report by NDR, WDR, and Süddeutsche Zeitung, the average price for KN95 masks in March 2020 was between 2 and 4 euros, while Germany paid 9.90 euros per piece to Emix. The report also estimated that Emix made a profit margin of between 20 and 30 percent on each mask, which amounted to 130 to 200 million euros in total.
- The commission of Tandler: Tandler received a commission of between 5 and 7.5 percent from Emix for each mask deal, which translated to 34 to 51 million euros in total. This was considered to be excessive and disproportionate by many observers, who questioned the value and legitimacy of her services. Tandler claimed that she was not just a broker, but also coordinated the logistics and communication between Emix and the German authorities. However, some officials disputed her role and said that she was not involved in the negotiations or the contracts.
- The tax evasion of Tandler and Emix: Tandler and Emix were accused of evading taxes on their income from the mask deals. According to the prosecutors, Tandler did not declare her commission to the German tax authorities and transferred it to offshore accounts in Cyprus and Dubai. Emix also did not pay taxes on its profits in Switzerland or Germany and used shell companies and bank accounts in Hong Kong, Dubai, and Liechtenstein to hide its money.
How much did she earn from the deal?
According to reports from NDR, WDR, and Süddeutsche Zeitung, Andrea Tandler received between five and 7.5 percent fee or commission from Emix for her services. This means that she would be entitled to 34 to 51 million euros from the mask deals. A large part of this money has already been paid to her by Emix.
Tandler’s lawyer did not comment on the exact amount of her fee or commission when asked by the media outlets. He only stated that she had worked hard for Emix and had coordinated all logistical challenges with the German authorities.
Husband & Kids
According to the web search results, Andrea Tandler is in a relationship with a partner named Darius N. However, there is no information about her husband or children, if she has any. She is the daughter of Gerold Tandler, a former CSU politician and Bavarian Minister of Finance, and a friend of Monika Hohlmeier, a CSU MEP and the daughter of Franz Josef Strauss. She is also a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist who has founded several companies in Switzerland.
Trial begins against Andrea Tandler
The trial of Andrea Tandler, the daughter of former CSU General Secretary Gerold Tandler, began on October 4, 2023, at the Munich Regional Court. She is accused of fraud, tax evasion, and money laundering in connection with the procurement of protective masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the indictment, Andrea Tandler and her partner Darius N. received commissions of over 48 million euros from a Dubai-based company called Emix for arranging contracts with the German government and other entities for the supply of masks. However, they allegedly failed to declare and pay taxes on this income and also used shell companies and offshore accounts to conceal the origin and destination of the money.
The prosecution claims that Andrea Tandler and Darius N. exploited their political connections to secure the deals and that they also delivered substandard masks that did not meet the required specifications. They also allege that they forged documents and invoices to inflate the prices and quantities of the masks.
The defense denies the charges and argues that Andrea Tandler and Darius N. acted in good faith and in accordance with the law. They claim that they provided a valuable service to the public by facilitating the delivery of masks at a time of crisis and that they did not receive any undue benefits or advantages from their contacts. They also contend that they paid taxes on their income in Dubai and that they did not launder any money or falsify any records.
Andrea Tandler Wikipedia, Age, BIO
| Name | Andrea Tandler |
| Date of birth | 1974 |
| Place of birth | Munich, Germany |
| Nationality | Swiss-German |
| Education | Business administration at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur, CEO of Little Penguin GmbH, co-founder and board member of Swiss Health AG and Swiss Medtech AG |
| Parents | Gerold Tandler (father), former CSU politician and Bavarian Minister of Finance; mother’s name unknown |
| Siblings | Unknown |
| Marital status | In a relationship with Darius N. (partner) |
| Children | Unknown |
| Residence | Zurich, Switzerland |
| #andreatandler | |
| Wikipedia | Page not live. |
| Homepage | newsunzip.com |
The Investigation and Arrest
In January 2021, the public prosecutors in Munich launched a criminal investigation into Tandler and Emix for tax evasion. They raided several properties and offices linked to them, as well as Hohlmeier’s office in Brussels. They also seized documents, computers, and phones, as well as assets worth over 50 million euros.
Tandler and her partner N. were arrested on January 19, 2021, and have been in pre-trial detention since then. They have denied any wrongdoing and have filed complaints to the Federal Constitutional Court to challenge their detention. However, the court has rejected their appeals and upheld the detention orders.
Emix has also denied any wrongdoing and has said that it complied with all legal and contractual obligations. The company has said that it is cooperating with the authorities and has provided all relevant information and documents.
Hohlmeier has not been charged with any crime but has faced criticism for her role in the mask deal. She has admitted that she helped Tandler with contacts, but has denied any involvement in the business or any financial benefit from it. She has also said that she was unaware of any irregularities or illegalities in the deal.
The Political Fallout
The mask scandal involving Tandler and Emix has had political repercussions for the CDU/CSU coalition, which has been accused of mismanagement, cronyism, and corruption in its handling of the pandemic. Several politicians from the coalition have been implicated in similar scandals involving mask deals or lobbying activities for foreign governments or companies.
The most prominent case was that of Nikolas Löbel, a CDU MP who resigned in March 2021 after admitting that he received 250,000 euros in commissions for brokering mask deals between a German company and two federal ministries. Another case was that of Georg Nüßlein, a CSU MP who resigned in February 2021 after being investigated for corruption for allegedly receiving 660,000 euros for lobbying for a mask supplier.
The scandals have damaged the public trust and support for the CDU/CSU coalition, which has seen its popularity decline in opinion polls ahead of the federal election in September 2021. The coalition has also faced internal divisions and conflicts over its leadership and its response to the pandemic.
Profile Summary
Andrea Tandler is a Swiss-German entrepreneur who was involved in a controversial mask deal with the German government during the COVID-19 pandemic. She helped two young Swiss businessmen sell corona protective masks from China to German ministries for more than 670 million euros, earning commissions in the tens of millions.
The deal raised questions about the transparency, accountability, and legality of the procurement process, as well as the quality and price of the masks. Tandler and her partner have been in custody since January 2021 on charges of tax evasion. The mask scandal involving Tandler and Emix has had political repercussions for the CDU/CSU coalition, which has been accused of mismanagement, cronyism, and corruption in its handling of the pandemic.
