Swiss Wine Figure Faces Fives Years in Jail for Hacking

Dominique Giroud, one of the largest wine producer of Switzerland, has been arrested and could face five years in jail, according to WineSearcher.com. Giroud is suspected of  “hacking into the computers of journalists investigating him,” as well as allegations of tax fraud. 

Based in the Valais region, Giroud Vins is a “wine empire with a very public face sponsoring a string of sports clubs and both sporting and cultural events.” Giroud joined the family business in 1993 “with the aim of putting Valais wines on the world stage.”

The Swiss tax office opened an inquiry in 2011, as Giroud Vins was charged with a suspicion of tax fraud and is now being charged with, along with several conspirators, of hacking into the computers of several prominent journalists. The scandal, known in Switzerland as the “Affaire Giroud,” has been largely publicized.

Although Giroud remains a shareholder of the company, a new director is now calling shots at Vins Giroud. The company plans on changing its name to Château Constellation. [WineSearcher.com] [Photo: Flicker/Philippe Germanier]