How Did Former BayernLB Chief Gerhard Gribkowsky Die in a Motorcycle Crash?

Quick answer: Gerhard Gribkowsky, the former BayernLB board member known for the Formula 1 corruption scandal, died in a motorcycle crash in Austria. He was 68.

Key facts

• What: Fatal motorcycle crash
• Where: On the federal road near Schwarzau im Gebirge, Lower Austria, Austria
• Reported: 16 October 2026, via manager magazin and Bild
• Reported toll: 1 dead — Gerhard Gribkowsky, 68
• Status: confirmed by police

What happened

Former BayernLB board member Gerhard Gribkowsky died in a motorcycle crash in Austria, manager magazin reported on 16 October 2026. Police confirmed reports of his fatal accident.

According to the report, Gribkowsky crashed on a Sunday afternoon about two weeks earlier on the federal road near Schwarzau im Gebirge in Lower Austria. The former BayernLB chief was 68 years old.

Gribkowsky became known to the wider public through a multimillion-dollar Formula 1 corruption scandal. As the risk chief of BayernLB, he sold the state bank's Formula 1 shares to an investor in 2006. In the process, he secretly pocketed 44 million dollars from Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, manager magazin reported.

In 2012, the Munich regional court sentenced Gribkowsky to eight and a half years in prison for bribery, breach of trust and tax evasion. He confessed in mid-June 2012 after 45 days of trial, heavily implicating Ecclestone. He was imprisoned in January 2011, became a day-release prisoner in October 2013 and was released early in March 2016, with the remainder of his sentence suspended on probation.

What happens next

Police have confirmed the fatal crash. No further details about the circumstances of the accident — such as whether other vehicles were involved — had been reported at the time of writing. We will update this story if authorities release more information.

If you ride a motorcycle

• Wear a helmet and protective gear on every ride, however short
• Ride within your limits on unfamiliar rural roads — bends and oncoming traffic are the biggest risks
• Make yourself visible: bright clothing and daytime running lights help drivers see you
• Know the local emergency number before you travel — our emergency numbers directory covers every country

Source: manager magazin — https://www.manager-magazin.de/unternehmen/banken/gerhard-gribkowsky-frueherer-bayernlb-vorstand-stirbt-bei-motorradunfall-a-ea808c8b-e0e4-4132-b31d-e8c92a2d4246

Frequently asked questions

How did Gerhard Gribkowsky die?

He died in a motorcycle crash on the federal road near Schwarzau im Gebirge in Lower Austria. Police confirmed reports of the fatal accident.

When did the crash happen?

The crash happened on a Sunday afternoon about two weeks before the news was reported on 16 October 2026.

How old was Gerhard Gribkowsky?

He was 68 years old.

Why was Gerhard Gribkowsky well known?

He was the former BayernLB board member at the centre of a multimillion-dollar Formula 1 corruption scandal. In 2012 he was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for bribery, breach of trust and tax evasion after secretly pocketing 44 million dollars from Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone.