Former Czech hockey goalkeeper Roman Čechmánek Source: Profimedia ZLÍN – The Zlín Regional Court today illegally imposed a three-year prison sentence on the former Czech hockey representative Roman Čechmánek with a suspended sentence of five years’ probation for fraud. According to the verdict, the damage exceeded 7.2 million Czech crowns. Čechmánek got into business. According to the prosecutor, he borrowed money and ordered work, even though he knew he would not be able to repay the debts. The 51-year-old Čechmánek has been denying the guilt for a long time, he was threatened with up to eight years in prison. Čechmánek did not comment on the court’s decision. Defense attorney Tomáš Štípek, who asked his client for acquittal, said they kept a deadline for filing an appeal. It was also kept by public prosecutor Petr Matoušek, who proposed a four-year unconditional sentence for Čechmánek. In the past, the regional court acquitted the Czechs of the accusation of fraud three times, but the high court always returned the case to him for a new hearing after the plaintiff’s appeal. According to today’s verdict, the Olympic winner from Nagano committed fraud in 2013, mainly in connection with the construction of a mini-brewery in Zlín and the reconstruction of an apartment building in Holešov. The prosecutor stated that the defendant had entered into contracts and agreements with the intention of obtaining property benefits, although his difficult financial situation did not allow him to perform them. On the basis of contracts, he purchased services, building materials and home or restaurant equipment. Million debts Čechmánek borrowed money from acquaintances for his business, he had loans in banks. His debts reached tens of millions of crowns. The microbrewery with a restaurant in Zlín closed after a year of operation, and did not complete the reconstruction of the house in Holešov. He also bought a former retirement home in Prostějov, invested in a development project in Croatia, and owned apartments in Zlín and Čeladná. He has been insolvent since 2013, and a year later the court declared bankruptcy on his property. Čechmánek has stated before that he had no reason to rob anyone and he never thought that he would like to enrich himself with someone. According to an expert from the Department of Economics, Čechmánek’s assets exceeded the value of his liabilities. According to the expert, he was therefore able to pay all the debts that arose in his business. Photo gallery (2) Source: profimedia.sk In the past, the Regional Court acquitted Čechmánek three times in the past, and according to him, it failed to prove that he intended to enrich himself or anyone else. However, the verdict of the criminal senate led by Radomír Koudel twice annulled the Olomouc High Court in full and for the last time and returned the case to Zlín, where Pavel Dvorský’s criminal senate was now dealing with the case. According to the High Court, since at least March 2013, the defendant did not have free funds from which to pay his obligations. According to the Court of Appeal, his ability to dispose of the property then significantly limited the liens in the banks. Author: © Zoznam Source: CTK