Prosecutors Raid Deutsche Bank Over Historic Postbank Dividend Trades

Deutsche Bank confirmed its cooperation with the authorities, emphasizing that it is being treated as a third party in the ongoing probe. While the lender acquired the Postbank unit in late 2010, the investigation centers on activities that occurred prior to that integration. The bank declined to provide specific details regarding the nature of the scrutinized deals, citing the active status of the inquiry.

Reports from Die Welt indicate the raid is tied to "cum-cum" transactions, a controversial method used to avoid taxes on dividends. These schemes typically involve shifting shares around dividend dates to obscure ownership and claim tax refunds that are not legally due. The Duesseldorf prosecutor leading the operation did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the scope of the search or potential charges.