Aldi's Theo Albrecht was ransomed for 7 million marks, and his son's widow fought the family foundation for a decade

On 29 November 1971 the lawyer Heinz-Joachim Ollenburg and the safe-cracker Paul Kron kidnapped Aldi Nord founder Theo Albrecht outside the company offices in Herten. He was held 17 days. The Bishop of Essen, Franz Hengsbach, delivered the 7 million mark ransom. Both were sentenced to eight and a half years in 1973. Albrecht asked to deduct the ransom as a business expense, and the Münster tax court refused in 1979. The Jakobus foundation, one of three that own Aldi Nord, belongs to his son Berthold's line. On 23 December 2010 a Jakobus board resolution limited the family's influence; the founder signed it on behalf of an ill board member. Berthold died on 21 November 2012, aged 58. His widow, Babette, and their five children challenged the resolution. The Schleswig administrative court declared it invalid on 21 January 2016. The Schleswig-Holstein higher administrative court reversed that in December 2017, and the Federal Administrative Court refused a further appeal. Separately, art adviser Helge Achenbach had sold Berthold art and classic cars for about 120 million euros with hidden markups. On 20 January 2015 a Düsseldorf court ordered him to pay the heirs 19.36 million euros, later cut to 16.1 million. On 16 March 2015 an Essen court sentenced him to six years for fraud. On 30 January 2023 the two family branches ended their lawsuits and agreed a new structure. Since Berthold's death the Jakobus foundation has paid Babette and the children 25 million euros a year^†.