GENEVA – World Economic Forum (WEF) founder Klaus Schwab has filed a criminal complaint following the alleged discovery of a secret listening device planted in his home office in Geneva.
The equipment was found after a routine security inspection was conducted at his private home close to the WEF premises, according to an emailed statement from a spokesperson for Schwab.
The complaint was filed against persons unknown.
An initial assessment suggested that the device has been installed within the last three years, the statement said.
An investigation is now underway with the goal to identify the people “responsible for its installation,” according to the statement.
“The matter is especially sensitive given the significant public interest surrounding him during the period in question,” it said.
“At this stage, no conclusions are being drawn regarding the origin of the device or potential responsibility.”
The accusation adds another twist to Schwab’s high-profile departure and spat with the institution he founded.
Schwab left the WEF amid accusations of financial misconduct and a clash with the remaining leadership.
He was eventually cleared, but only after a months-long investigation that hung over the organisation, which runs the high-profile Davos event in the Swiss Alps.
Schwab, born in Germany to parents of Swiss origin, chose the location in a bid to make guests feel relaxed and speak freely.
With a slogan of “committed to improving the state of the world,” the forum attracts global attention and criticism, as well as a helping of conspiracy theories.
Earlier in 2026, WEF Chief Executive Offier Borge Brende also stepped down from his position after it emerged he had ties to convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. BLOOMBERG
