Ecclestone: It feels as though the vultures are circling

Bernie Ecclestone arrives in Munich for his trial

Troubles continue to mount for beleaguered Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone.
According to Formula 1 business journalist Christian Sylt in the Telegraph, court papers in Munich show that, since the Formula 1 chief executive divorced from his wife Slavica, she has paid him an incredible $100 million per year.
“The duration of the payments from the divorce decree is not known,” the indictment confirmed.
Apart from demonstrating the 83-year-old’s incredible wealth and income, the news could tie in with other reports of a ‘secret’ deal with the British tax office.
BBC current affairs programme Panorama claims that HM Revenue and Customs ended a long investigation into Ecclestone’s tax affairs when the Formula 1 supremo reached a $17 million settlement.

Slavica Ecclestone with Gerhard Gribkowsky on the Monza grid ahead of the 2005 Italian GP

Ecclestone has claimed that he paid the alleged $44 million bribe to jailed Gerhard Gribkowsky not to affect the sale of the sport, but to stop the ex-banker from revealing details about his tax affairs to British authorities.
Ecclestone told the Times: “It feels as though the vultures are circling. The trouble is that vultures are usually around for dead people and I am very much alive.”
He insists there is nothing sinister about his British tax affairs.
“I could control the business from anywhere I like,” said Ecclestone. “I could go to Monaco or Switzerland and still run Formula 1 quite happily. I don’t.” (GMM)