• 20 December 2018

German news magazine Der Spiegel has sacked an award-winning staff writer after accusing him of inventing details and quotes in numerous stories.

Claas Relotius “falsified articles on a grand scale and even invented characters”, Der Spiegel said.

Among the articles in question are major features that had been nominated for or won awards, the magazine added.

Relotius, 33, admitted deceiving readers in some 14 stories published in Der Spiegel, the magazine said.

In a statement on Wednesday, the German publication said it was working to establish the full extent of Relotius’ “fabrications” after a colleague who worked with him on a story raised suspicions about his reporting.