On 12 June 2026, manager magazin once again reported on The Platform Group SE & Co. KGaA and its CEO Dr. Dominik Benner in an article entitled “Banks Want Their Money Back from The Platform Group”.
This publication also contains numerous inaccurate and misleading statements that are capable of seriously impairing the business and personal reputation of the company and Dr. Dominik Benner.
The reporting concerns distorted and false statements regarding alleged tax liabilities, banking relationships and credit facilities, as well as matters relating to individual subsidiaries. The Platform Group SE & Co. KGaA rejects the central conclusions of the reporting. Individual events are placed in an incorrect overall context; exculpatory circumstances and facts essential for a proper assessment are not taken into account, or not taken into account sufficiently.
Our law firm has therefore been instructed to take press-law action against this latest publication as well, in particular by seeking interim injunctive relief against the further dissemination of the challenged statements. In addition, our clients are preparing comprehensive main proceedings against manager magazin, which will also address previous publications and the continued false portrayal of our clients, and will include claims for damages.
Judgments Against manager magazin
Today’s publication is not the first article by manager magazin about The Platform Group SE & Co. KGaA and Dr. Dominik Benner to be challenged under press law. Our clients have already successfully initiated legal proceedings against manager magazin in two cases.
By judgment of 26 February 2026, case no. 15 W 7/26, the Higher Regional Court of Cologne prohibited manager magazin and several responsible editors, by way of interim injunction, from reporting on The Platform Group SE & Co. KGaA and Dr. Dominik Benner in a specific manner. The case concerned, in particular, unlawful identifying reporting on suspicion. We have already reported on this matter here: Higher Regional Court of Cologne prohibits reporting by manager magazin about The Platform Group and Dr. Dominik Benner.
The Regional Court of Cologne also set limits for manager magazin in a further case. By interim injunction of 24 March 2026, the Regional Court of Cologne prohibited manager magazin from disseminating statements from the article “When Seizure Threatens – New Stress for The Platform Group”. The court assessed parts of the reporting as deliberately incomplete and misleading, and another statement as an untrue statement of fact. We have also reported on this case here: Regional Court of Cologne: Further interim injunction against manager magazin.
Strict Requirements for Reputation-Damaging Business Reporting
The legal objection is not directed against critical business journalism as such. The media may, of course, report on companies, capital market issues and economic developments. However, the line is crossed where headlines, teasers, omissions or inaccurate statements of fact create a distorted overall picture.
This applies in particular to reports concerning alleged tax liabilities, terminated credit facilities, personal liability or matters with a criminal-law connotation. Such reporting can have serious consequences for reputation, capital market communication, business partners, banks and employees. Anyone raising or suggesting such allegations must conduct careful research, fully take into account exculpatory circumstances and must not create false or misleading overall impressions.
Recent case law of the German Federal Court of Justice confirms this approach. In its judgment of 12 May 2026, case no. VI ZR 346/24, the Federal Court of Justice held that factual reporting which is deliberately incomplete in its core may ultimately be treated in the same way as an inaccurate statement of fact.
A Series of Pointed Publications
Against the background of the court decisions already issued, today’s publication forms part of a series of articles in which The Platform Group SE & Co. KGaA and Dr. Dominik Benner are portrayed in a false light through pointed, incomplete and reputation-damaging reporting.
It is particularly problematic where attention-grabbing headlines and teasers placed in front of a paywall convey serious allegations, while exculpatory circumstances are not presented with the same clarity. This can create a negative impression even before the actual article is read, an impression that may take on a life of its own among readers, business partners and market participants.
Legal Action Will Continue
The Platform Group SE & Co. KGaA and Dr. Dominik Benner will continue to take resolute action against false, incomplete and misleading reporting. Freedom of the press is a fundamental right. It does not, however, protect the dissemination of inaccurate statements of fact, deliberately incomplete presentations or unlawful reporting on suspicion.
By instructing further legal action against manager magazin, our clients are continuing their successful enforcement of press-law claims.
Disclosure: LHR represents The Platform Group SE & Co. KGaA and Dr. Dominik Benner in the press-law proceedings referred to above.
