German news magazine Der Spiegel has sacked an award-winning staff writer Claas Relotius after accusing him of inventing details and quotes in numerous stories.
The news magazine reports that Mr Relotius “falsified articles on a grand scale and even invented characters.
Among the articles in question are major features that had been nominated for or won awards. Relotius, 33, admitted deceiving readers in some 14 stories published in the magazine,Der Spiegel.
In a statement the German publication said it is working to establish the full extent of Relotius’ “fabrications” after a colleague who worked with him on a story raised suspicions about his reporting.