A former top executive of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), Wolfgang Winter, has been sentenced to a 36-month prison term by a Zurich court for fraudulent activities.

Winter, who once led Elvetino AG, a subsidiary of SBB that operates train restaurants, was found guilty of embezzlement, attempted fraud, document forgery, and bribery.

The court revealed that Winter, along with two accomplices, exploited Elvetino for personal gain, treating it like a personal cash register.

They engaged in insider deals and overpriced transactions, including purchasing cheap goods from China and selling them at inflated prices to Elvetino.

Winter's defense argued that his actions were legitimate business practices, but the court dismissed these claims, citing clear evidence of misconduct.

The case is set to continue as Winter's legal team has filed an appeal against the verdict.