In 1977, the cargo ship Lucona founders in the Indian ocean while under contract to Viennese businessman Rudi Waltz (David Suchet). When Waltz tries to collect an insurance fee of a whopping $20m, he sets off one of the biggest scandals in post-war Austria. Journalist Strasser (Jürgen Proch-now) investigates the flamboyant entrepreneur who is convinced his many high-level political contacts make him untouchable.