Christina Block, heiress to a German restaurant empire, and her partner, TV host Gerhard Delling, are facing trial in Hamburg for allegedly hiring Israeli mercenaries to abduct her two children from their father in Denmark. The case has sparked intense media coverage and raised questions about wealth, justice, and the lengths to which some will go in custody battles.

The prosecution alleges that Block and Delling orchestrated the abduction on New Year’s Eve 2023-2024. The children, Klara and Theodor, were taken from their father, Stephan Hensel, in Gråsten, Denmark, by a team of Israeli mercenaries. The mercenaries reportedly used physical and psychological violence during the abduction.

The children had been equipped with a personal alarm by Danish police, which Theodor activated during the abduction. The alarm recorded the mercenaries’ conversations in Hebrew, revealing their intentions and the children’s distress. The children expressed their desire to not be with their mother, stating they did not feel good with her.

The mercenaries transported the children across the border to Germany, where they were eventually located on a farm. Despite being reunited with their mother, the children reportedly did not want to be with her.

Block and Delling deny the charges. Their defense claims that they did not order or participate in the abduction’s planning. They suggest that Block’s deceased mother hired a former Mossad agent, who then employed the mercenaries. Alternatively, they argue that they were merely correcting a wrong, claiming Hensel had initially abducted the children to Denmark.

Danish courts had previously ruled that the children should remain in Denmark, citing concerns for their well-being if returned to their mother. The German Constitutional Court also supported this decision, noting the children’s preference to live with their father.

The indictment involves 20 people, with seven currently on trial. If convicted of abduction, Block and Delling face up to ten years in prison. The trial is expected to last for 37 court days.

The case has also revealed a malicious campaign against Hensel, including false accusations of child pornography. The prosecution alleges that the former Mossad agent was behind the child pornography campaign. Klara and Theodor are currently living with their father and his wife in a secret location in Denmark.