The investigation into a former Borussia Dortmund employee on charges of sexual abuse now involves 17 cases. The public prosecutor’s office and the club are working to get to the bottom of the matter.

The allegations against a former Borussia Dortmund employee regarding sexual abuse are mounting. Investigations are now underway into 17 cases dating from the 1980s to 2017 involving suspected sexual abuse and sexual assault, as confirmed by the Hagen Public Prosecutor’s Office in response to a dpa inquiry. The “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” and the “Ruhr Nachrichten” had previously reported on the matter.

The allegations of abuse against a former employee of the Bundesliga soccer club were made public in the media last fall. At the end of the year, the public prosecutor’s office then searched the accused’s private residence and seized technical equipment and data storage devices. The evaluation of these materials is still ongoing, as are the ongoing investigations, according to the public prosecutor’s office.

External investigation at BVB underway

BVB had issued a statement regarding the allegations last October. According to the statement, the club was informed in 2010 of an alleged attempt by a former employee to make advances toward a youth player—who was of legal age at the time—in the 1990s. However, this could not be substantiated, as the accused denied it and no formal complaint was filed. In 2023, another allegation came to light, prompting BVB to immediately terminate the employee’s contract.

In November, the club also announced an independent investigation into the allegations of sexual assault. To this end, the club asked those affected for their assistance and information. A spokesperson now stated, upon inquiry, that the external investigations with the retained law firm were continuing and that the club was also cooperating with the public prosecutor’s office.