German authorities started an inquiry into the case of the retiree from Bonn who tried to extort one million euro from the two companies and said he would poison their products with cyanide if they refused to pay the money.
The reason behind the man's behavior was a lack of money. According to reports, he has been trying to make ends meet with his small pension of 190 euro. However, he came to the edge of desperation after a visit to a doctor, who prescribed him medicine which he couldn't afford to buy.
"My client was working freelance from time to time, which turned out not enough for retirement. He gets only a small pension of about 190 euro a month, although he has worked his whole life like a woodworker. When he could no longer afford to pay for a drug in the pharmacy, he told himself that he had to do something," the man's lawyer, Thomas Ohm told German Das Bild newspaper.
The man was arrested on Christmas Eve. After filing a complaint, he was temporarily freed and allowed to stay with his wife.
The date of the court trial has not yet been determined.
