14 DAY TRIAL // A man whose name has not been disclosed to the press was arrested and detained in connection with Michael Schumacher's stolen medical records which have been since leaked. Local police believed that the man was in a position to get access to the files and that he was the one guilty of the theft.
The suspect worked as an executive at a Swiss helicopter air rescue company, which was called Rega and which was the one responsible for organizing the German F1 driver's transport from France into Switzerland back in June.
Prosecutors had reasons to believe that the suspect had stolen the files with an intent to sell them for profit, despite the fact that he denied any wrongdoing, according to The Guardian. The alleged thief was arrested on Tuesday and was interrogated by police numerous times but he maintained he was innocent.
As the investigation progressed, the suspect was detained in a holding cell in a Zurich police station. Wednesday morning, he was found dead when someone came to give him breakfast before his scheduled hearing with a judge.
Sabine Kehm, Schumacher's spokesperson, told the press “We are at a loss for words and deeply shocked.” This news comes after the family expressed their thanks to everyone who constantly send them kind words and support throughout Michael's convalescence.
Back in December last year, Michael Schumacher, a former Formula 1 World Champion, suffered a serious head injury while skiing off-piste in the French Alps. His injury kept him in an artificial coma for six months and his fans feared the worst as reports on his state of health were scarce or altogether absent.
It is believed that this lack of news regarding his state of health drove the suspect to steal the medical records, probably in the hopes of selling them to the media for a very high figure. The latest rumors indicate that he was shopping the files for around €50,000 (£40,000/US$67,000).
Chief for the Rega helicopter company, Ernst Kohler, is quoted as saying “We are deeply affected to learn ... that a Rega employee, taken into custody yesterday upon suspicion of violating professional secrecy, committed suicide in his cell.”
Authorities have refused to reveal any details about the man's name, age and nationality, but Schumacher's spokesperson, Sabine Kehm, disclosed that the police believed he was acting alone. The prosecutors have stressed that they can't prove the man's guilt at this moment and that he should be presumed innocent until he can be found guilty.
Local police also said that they didn't have any other suspects so they expected to close the case because of lack of information.
Michael Schumacher meanwhile remains in a coma in a clinic in Lausanne, after he's been reported to have awoken from his coma in June. Little to no information is being given about his state of health, as the media is frantically trying to get some details.