MUNICH, Germany. Hollywood actor and former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger found himself detained at Munich airport on Wednesday after allegedly failing to declare a luxury watch he planned to auction for charity. The incident led to an investigation into potential tax evasion as the watch was intended for sale within the European Union (EU).
EU regulations dictate that individuals arriving with “cash or certain valuable items” exceeding €10,000 (£8,580) must declare them. Schwarzenegger, however, reportedly was not asked to fill out a declaration form, according to a source cited by CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.
The actor, also known for his political career and climate change advocacy, faced a three-hour detention. The customs authorities launched an investigation into the alleged tax violation, complicating the situation for Schwarzenegger.
To resolve the matter, the 76-year-old had to pay the required tax. However, the process was not without challenges. Initially, a card machine malfunctioned, and then it was discovered that the nearest bank was closed, and ATM withdrawal limits were insufficient. Schwarzenegger had to wait for a new card machine brought by customs officials.
Despite the hiccups, the actor’s spokesman characterized the airport incident as “a total comedy full of errors, but which would make a very funny police film.” An image published by German tabloid Bild showed Schwarzenegger smiling and posing with a box for the watch, labeled “For Austria.”
The watch in question, custom-made for the Terminator star by luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet, is of significant value, with timepieces from the brand often fetching hundreds of thousands of dollars. Schwarzenegger intended to auction the watch at a fundraising dinner for The Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative in Kitzbuhel, Austria, approximately 89 km (55 miles) from Munich, scheduled for later that Thursday.
The event, hosted at the five-star Stanglwirt hotel, was set to feature a range of items for auction, including “artworks, signed exhibits, and experiences from the worlds of sports and film.” A listing for the watch, obtained by Bild, indicated that it was one of only 20 in existence and featured “an image of Arnold in his iconic pose with the words ‘Arnold Classic’.” The starting price for bids was set at €50,000.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
