Earlier today, a court in Munich confirmed that Bernie Ecclestone, the long-serving chief executive of Formula One who has been on trial for bribery, has reached agreement with the prosecutors. In return for walking free, Ecclestone will pay $100m USD within a week.
While German law evidently permits such a settlement without an admission of guilt, public opinion has been a little less forgiving. Here are 10 of the sharpest reactions from Twitter so far.
So, Bernie Ecclestone has paid $60,000,000 to end his bribery trial, while the banker who received a $44,000,000 payment stays in jail.
— Darren Paskell (@dazareth) August 5, 2014
All comedians can now retire, we've just been out ironied "F1 boss Ecclestone pays to end bribery trial"
— Ray Davis (@BongoMondo) August 5, 2014
So Bernie Ecclestone, accused of paying money to get his own way, gets off by paying money to get his own way?
— Tom Williams (@tomwfootball) August 5, 2014
So... Bernie Ecclestone is to buy himself out of bribery charges. pic.twitter.com/cDlhc1Tg5C
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) August 5, 2014
I need a new irony meter. mine's just broken - Ecclestone coughs $100m deal to end bribery trial http://t.co/onXw0EwJeV
— Gary Roubaix Dawes (@gazza_d) August 5, 2014
Bernie Ecclestone: "I'm innocent, but here's $100million anyway....*cough*"
— Marcher Lord (@MarcherLord1) August 5, 2014
Better + cheaper way to resolve tax issues is to talk to us - BBC News - F1 boss Ecclestone pays to end bribery trial http://t.co/ljZDnx3yem
— Tax Dispute Experts (@TaxDispute) August 5, 2014
Paying 100 million Euros to stop his trial clearly shows how innocent Ecclestone must be of any suggestion of a tendency to bribe officials.
— Tom Evans (@TomEvans80) August 5, 2014
Ecclestone offered a bribe, to end the bribery trial. That makes him not guilty of bribery. http://t.co/m7ISqQrIRj
— Liverpool Red (@lfcredynwa) August 5, 2014
Ecclestone at Munich-Court. Accused of corruption. Pays the court 100 mill dollars and walks free.... Well, I didn't study law....
— Jan Aage Fjortoft (@JanAageFjortoft) August 5, 2014
Read more about our own reaction to the story here.
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