On Wednesday, action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger found himself in an unexpected real-life thriller upon arrival at Munich Airport. Customs officials detained the former California governor for three hours after failing to declare a luxury watch he was planning to auction for charity.
The €26,000 Audemars Piguet timepiece, destined for a climate initiative fundraiser, landed Schwarzenegger in hot water. “We have initiated criminal tax proceedings,” stated a Munich customs spokesperson, explaining the watch should have been registered as an import.
According to the German tabloid Bild, Schwarzenegger defended himself: “I told them the watch was for my climate initiative, but they just kept saying ‘pay.’ This is the problem with Germany,” he lamented, “you can’t see the forest for the trees.”
Despite his explanations, officials weren’t swayed. Schwarzenegger ultimately settled the matter by paying €35,000, including €4,000 in tax and a €5,000 penalty. While allowed to continue his journey, the watch remains grounded, awaiting further proceedings.
The incident sparked debate, with some criticizing Schwarzenegger for the oversight while others questioning the bureaucratic rigidity. “It’s a charity auction, for crying out loud!” argued one fan on Twitter. “Couldn’t they have worked it out differently?”
Meanwhile, Schwarzenegger’s representatives downplayed the drama. “It was a simple misunderstanding,” they said in a statement, “that has been happily resolved.”
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