Dr. Moritz Pellmann

About Dr. Moritz Pellmann

Moritz is a white-collar crime & government investigations partner based in our Frankfurt and Berlin offices. He advises major international corporations and financial institutions in a wide range of white-collar criminal and regulatory investigations. Moritz also provides comprehensive risk and crisis management advice, especially in the aftermath of complex compliance incidents. His clients particularly value his highly analytical approach and deep understanding of their business and strategic objectives, which is why they entrust him to guide them through their most complex corporate crises.

With his extensive international experience, including in the US, Moritz has become one of Germany’s leading advisors in connection with “bet the company” cases. He has acted in some of the most prominent investigations and prosecutions in recent years. His extensive experience includes leading major investigations into the diesel emissions issue beginning in 2015, as well as investigations into alleged tax offences involving undeclared US accounts abroad, allegations of accounting fraud, insider trading, and other corporate crime matters.

While on client secondment at a leading international financial institution, Moritz worked out of Europe and the US for the Global Head of Litigation & Investigations. He also worked for two years in M&A for a leading US law firm, further broadening his understanding of the commercial realities and strategic challenges faced by his clients.

He speaks English, French and German.

Recent work

• Providing comprehensive compliance and investigations advice as well as overall strategic guidance for a multinational accounting firm in connection with the insolvency of a German DAX-listed company.
• Advising Europe’s largest automobile manufacturer in relation to the diesel emissions issue, particularly leading various investigations and the reappraisal of the facts required for the defence in civil, criminal, employment and regulatory proceedings worldwide.
• Conducting a major internal investigation for one of the world’s leading automobile manufacturers regarding the development, homologation and sale of diesel vehicles subject to an official recall due to the installation of an illegal defeat device as well as subsequent crisis management.
• Advising a multinational retail company regarding whistle-blower complaints of alleged compliance infringements by members of the management board of one of its Asian entities.
• Conducting a multi-jurisdictional investigation into potential tax offences for a global financial institution in connection with its US cross-border business involving undeclared US accounts abroad.
• Advising a global financial institution in a major regulatory investigation to clarify the background and responsibility for alleged accounting fraud.
• Advising a global financial institution on its current group guidelines on whistle-blowing and whistle-blower protection in light of new the EU whistle-blower protection directive (Directive (EU) 2019/1937) and advising on necessary revisions both at group level and in various jurisdictions across Europe.
• Conducting an internal investigation for a global financial institution regarding several whistleblower complaints relating to alleged irregularities and compliance violations in connection with the granting of loans.
• Conducting an internal investigation for a global financial investor regarding insider trading allegations.
• Advising a FinTech following a data breach in Germany and the UK, in particular conducting an internal investigation regarding the background and causes of the incident.
• Conducting an internal investigation regarding the tender for, and financing of, the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany for the German Football Association.
• Advising and representing a major German bank in civil litigation proceedings against institutional investors in the aftermath of the financial crisis.