Regional Court in Frankfurt am Main Grants Injunction Against Defamatory Website BE Conflict Management
Berlin, Monday 29 September, 2025 – The Regional Court of Frankfurt am Main has ruled in favor of Josip Heit, strategic advisor to Apertum Holding, a company specialized in technology solutions, in a defamation case against the Ireland-based website “BE Conflict Management” and its domain bekm.eu. The website had published a series of defamatory statements in both English and German concerning Mr. Heit, Apertum Holding, and others.
In its decision dated September 19, 2025, (Case No. 2-03 O 315/25), the Regional Court found that 14 statements made by the website were unlawful and violated press law principles. The court ordered the removal of these statements and warned that any future publication could result in penalties of up to EUR 250,000 or six months imprisonment.
This injunction comes after a successful legal defense in the United States, where the Texas State Securities Board rescinded its cease-and-desist order against Apertum Holding and Mr. Heit. Despite this, BE Conflict Management continued to disseminate misleading reports based on now-dismissed claims. The Frankfurt Regional Court’s ruling underlines the importance of verifying the current legal status of allegations and offering affected parties a right to respond, as it is a violation of journalistic standards and German media law.
Christian-Oliver Moser, founding partner of the Berlin-based law firm IRLE MOSER, which specializes in media law and represents Apertum Holding and Mr. Heit, stated, “This injunction is a significant step in protecting our clients’ reputation. We have been fighting against anonymous online smear campaigns disguised as investigative journalism for a long time. This decision reaffirms the rule-of-law protections available in Germany against such tactics.”
Josip Heit, strategic advisor to Apertum Holding, added, “We welcome the court’s clear statement: unfounded accusations have no place in public discourse. We remain fully committed to legal compliance in every jurisdiction where our innovative technologies are available. We will continue to use all legal means to combat defamation campaigns by competitors and blackmailers. In doing so, we will also consistently defend ourselves through criminal proceedings until these criminal platforms – such as behindMLM and the network behind it – are put out of business.”
This court decision highlights the importance of accountability and transparency in digital media. As online platforms evolve, Apertum Holding and Mr. Heit’s proactive legal efforts underscore their commitment to correcting the public record and upholding journalistic integrity.
For further information, please contact:
IRLE MOSER Rechtsanwälte
Christian-Oliver Moser
office@irlemoser.com
+49-(0)30-21021960
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.