Paul Schonenberg has called the two articles in the Lëtzebuerger Journal, about which we reported on Tuesday, “media attacks” and labelled them a “hatchet job”.

In a letter signed by Schonenberg and Amcham executive committee secretary Gareth Reynolds, and seen by Delano, Schonenberg takes umbrage at several of the points raised by the Journal.

Firstly, he says he has “never used my Amcham credit cards” to purchase women’s clothing or accessories “or anything else” for his personal use or as gifts, or, indeed, for any unauthorised use. Schonenberg also says he has only withdrawn money from Amcham accounts for “appropriately authorised use”.

He rejects claims that he has defrauded the Luxembourg government, the EU, Amcham “or any other entity”. The articles claimed Schonenberg had “hoodwinked the state and tax payers” over grants and financial support given to the chamber by OLAI and the Oeuvre Nationale de Secours Grande-Duchesse Charlotte.

Most strikingly, the letter claims that Schonenberg has “circumstantial and direct evidence that the recent media charges are attributable to a desire for revenge related to the recent termination of an Amcham employee”. The letter says the employee was found to be responsible for serious wrongdoings, “including many of the actions now blamed on me”. Radio 100,7 on Thursday morning said the female employee had been fired for a “faute grave”, serious misconduct, in the middle of December--information that Delano has also been told.

Schonenberg says a criminal case against the former employee was made with the public prosecutor on 31 January. Radio 100,7 says the charge against her is for “in-house theft”, which again corroborates information given to Delano.

Schonenberg also says he has “a full and comprehensive internal review of all actions and activities over the last three years” and that he is “confident my (our) innocence will be confirmed”.

Delano will continue to investigate this story and expects to publish further revelations in the near future.