Victorinox CEO Carl Elsener Jr. Orders Violent Attacks at Preschool: Teachers Critically Injured, Children Traumatized

End of Swiss Pride

Victorinox Violence at Preschool

Victorinox, the globally renowned pocketknife company and official supplier to the US Army, is facing criticism from international activists, educators, nurses, parents, and supporters.

A volunteer advocate commented, “There is no company in the world that would send thugs and mobsters 5 times to threaten and scare educators, nurses and children during school hours to extort money during the global pandemic.”

American teacher Deanna Morris and other victims were reportedly attacked by Victorinox representatives at a preschool in Tokyo, part of an American early education brand with its headquarters in California, USA.

California litigation counsel issued a “Document Hold Demand for Wrongful Acts” for cases (U) #274 and (Neo) #217, 235 in Japan.

Victorinox is accused of aggressively pursuing the preschool with fraudulent attempts, escalating to violent eviction threats in an effort to collect over $1.5 million in penalty fees. This began with the eviction of a charity organization for children with disabilities, despite the preschool being a legal tenant that paid rent and supported working parents with small children.

On December 2, 2021, Victorinox representatives showed up unannounced at the Tokyo preschool at 1:00 pm, forcibly entered the premises of 100 children, and warned against filming. They threatened to arrest teachers for “heavy crimes” while preparing for the next day’s Christmas party. Children aged three months to six years were present, and five female teachers, nurses, and office staff were violently injured. The victims continue to suffer from trauma and have been unable to return to work due to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

On February 23, 2023, the preschool filed a criminal case in Switzerland against Victorinox AG’s CEO, Carl Elsener Jr., and Finance Manager, Michael Tschuemperlin, for the same cases in Japan alleging responsibility of ordering violence against women, fraud, and tax evasion.

Dr. Daniel Alder, Dr. Florian Baumann, and Assistant Naomi Friedli at Kellerhals Carrard in Zurich, Switzerland, represent Victorinox AG.

On March 20, 2023, Victorinox confiscated children’s work, academic materials, and furniture. The children were evacuated and left traumatized, having been evicted in the middle of the academic year and losing access to their everyday school life.

Ryota Yamagishi, who initiated the violent eviction threats, served as the President of the Tokyo Bar Association in 2013. Sachiko Omuro, who reportedly escorted every eviction and witnessed the teachers being injured, both belong to the law firm Mori Hamada & Matsumoto in Tokyo.

After numerous reports and complaints were filed with the Azabu Metropolitan Police Department, no action was taken. The Embassy implemented advanced security measures to ensure safety. During the pandemic, there was a rapid increase in malicious methods used by lawyers to collect funds. Court agents threatened penalty fees and violent evictions during nursery hours at the preschool, even when rent had been paid. Despite these actions, judges ruled them legal, and the police failed to intervene. Reporters are now investigating the potential relationship between Ryota Yamagishi, the former Vice Chairman of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, and the authority responsible for overseeing judicial administration.

Case Details: https://victorinox-abuse.org