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Arnold Schwarzenegger Faces Trouble in Munich After Failing to Declare a High-Value Watch Intended for A Charity Auction.
Hollywood actor and former governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, was detained for three hours at Munich airport on Wednesday after allegedly failing to declare a luxury watch he intended to auction for charity.
An investigation into alleged tax evasion was launched as the watch, which was intended to be sold within the European Union (EU), was not declared upon arrival, as required by EU rules for items valued over €10,000 (£8,580).
Despite not being asked to fill out a declaration form, Schwarzenegger reportedly encountered difficulties in paying the required tax. A source informed CBS News that after an initial card machine failed, the nearest bank was closed, and ATM withdrawal limits were too low. Eventually, customs officials brought a new card machine for Schwarzenegger to use.
Schwarzenegger’s spokesman described the incident as “a total comedy full of errors, but which would make a very funny police film,” while local tabloid Bild reported that the actor remained calm throughout. An image published by Bild showed Schwarzenegger smiling and posing with a box containing the watch, along with a note reading “For Austria.”
Actor and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was detained by customs officials at Munich Airport for not declaring a luxury watch that was potentially to be auctioned at a charity event. pic.twitter.com/Gnftw7VWmI
— AP Entertainment (@APEntertainment) January 18, 2024
The custom-made watch, crafted by luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet, was intended to be auctioned at a fundraising dinner for The Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative in Kitzbuhel, Austria. The event, scheduled to take place at the Stanglwirt hotel, will feature a variety of items up for auction, including artworks and signed exhibits from the worlds of sports and film.
Auction details obtained by Bild revealed that the watch, one of only 20 in existence, features an image of Schwarzenegger in his iconic pose with the words “Arnold Classic.” The starting price for bids was set at €50,000.
