Arno Funke
Arno Funke was born on December 5, 1950, in Germany. Before his criminal activities, he aspired to become a cartoonist but faced difficulties in establishing himself in that field. In 1988, Funke resorted to a life of crime and engaged in a series of extortion attempts using homemade bombs.
One of his notable incidents involved targeting the Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe), a luxury department store in Berlin. Funke planted a bomb in the store and sent ransom letters, demanding money in exchange for not detonating additional devices. Despite facing some initial failures, he eventually succeeded in detonating a bomb in the sports department of KaDeWe, causing damage but, fortunately, no injuries.
Funke's criminal activities continued for some time, and he managed to extort money from various businesses. However, his luck eventually ran out. In 1993, he was arrested, and in 1994, he was convicted of extortion and attempted extortion. He was sentenced to over six years in prison but was released on parole in 1997.
After serving his sentence, Arno Funke turned his life around. He later wrote a memoir titled "Ich, Dagobert" ("I, Dagobert") in which he detailed his criminal activities and his motivations. The story gained additional attention because of its unusual combination of criminal elements and Funke's initial aspiration to become a cartoonist.
It's worth noting that Funke's story is a complex one, blending elements of desperation, criminality, and an unconventional path in pursuit of personal goals.
One of his notable incidents involved targeting the Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe), a luxury department store in Berlin. Funke planted a bomb in the store and sent ransom letters, demanding money in exchange for not detonating additional devices. Despite facing some initial failures, he eventually succeeded in detonating a bomb in the sports department of KaDeWe, causing damage but, fortunately, no injuries.
Funke's criminal activities continued for some time, and he managed to extort money from various businesses. However, his luck eventually ran out. In 1993, he was arrested, and in 1994, he was convicted of extortion and attempted extortion. He was sentenced to over six years in prison but was released on parole in 1997.
After serving his sentence, Arno Funke turned his life around. He later wrote a memoir titled "Ich, Dagobert" ("I, Dagobert") in which he detailed his criminal activities and his motivations. The story gained additional attention because of its unusual combination of criminal elements and Funke's initial aspiration to become a cartoonist.
It's worth noting that Funke's story is a complex one, blending elements of desperation, criminality, and an unconventional path in pursuit of personal goals.