Frank Ruffing: Former head of Volksbank Kleverland is coming under greater pressure

The Kleve public prosecutor's office is investigating suspicions of infidelity and fraud. There was recently a search at the Volksbank, which still needed financial aid in the summer.

Frankfurt, Düsseldorf. Raid in the vicinity of the Volksbank Kleverland: The Kleve public prosecutor's office had several properties searched. The investigation is directed against the former CEO Frank Ruffing and an employee of the institute. The searches took place last week on November 5th. The basis was a decision from the Kleve District Court.

The online portal “Kleveblog” first reported on the measure. When asked, an authority spokesman confirmed that the action had taken place.

According to the public prosecutor's office, there is initial suspicion of infidelity and fraud against the two accused. The focus of the investigation is possible commission payments to external service providers as well as invoices for services that apparently were not provided or were only partially provided.

Specifically, there is a suspicion that the former CEO and the employee “authorized and made commission payments to external service providers that were based on no or inadequate work performance,” the authority spokesman told the Handelsblatt.

In addition, it is being investigated whether Volksbank paid invoices for work that was not actually carried out or was not carried out to the extent invoiced. “The seized evidence is currently being evaluated by the police,” said the Kleve public prosecutor’s office.

The public prosecutor's office did not provide any further information about the objects searched and possible further investigative steps, citing the ongoing proceedings. It is therefore unclear whether charges will be brought. The presumption of innocence applies to both accused.

Ruffing's lawyers did not respond to a Handelsblatt query about the current searches and investigations by the public prosecutor's office. At the end of October they also did not comment on the investigation.

In mid-August it became known that Volksbank Kleverland needed support from the security scheme of the cooperative industry association BVR. The financial institution pointed to a “significant need for value adjustments” for some loans. According to financial circles, the total amount of aid is at most a mid-double-digit million amount.

In the case of Volksbank Kleverland, there is a parallel dispute at the civil law level. Volksbank Kleverland released Ruffing in September 2025, recalled him at the beginning of October and dismissed him without notice. The institute then filed a criminal complaint. Ruffing denies the allegations against him and is taking action against his dismissal and immediate termination before the Kleve regional court.

In an earlier statement, which was available to Handelsblatt, his lawyers rejected their client's responsibility for the bank's economic development. The annual financial statements, management report and supervisory board report did not at any point attribute the annual deficit, the loan defaults and the use of security assistance from the Federal Association of German Volksbanks and Raiffeisenbanks (BVR) to breaches of duty by Ruffing, they argued.

Rather, credit risks, property depreciation and the crisis in the construction and real estate sector were responsible for the burden. In addition, Ruffing never made decisions alone in credit and real estate transactions, his lawyers emphasized.

The searches that have now become known mark a further step in the criminal investigation. However, an assessment of the allegations by the public prosecutor's office is still pending. First, the seized documents and other evidence must be evaluated.