He promised help and probably did everything himself: an Islamist TikTok star is suspected of fraud in Germany. The man is said to have embezzled donations and prepared his escape to Dubai.
Under the name ‘Abdelhamid’, he reaches hundreds of thousands of followers as a preacher on TikTok and Instagram. For the German security authorities, his videos are seen as the beginning of a radicalization spiral.
According to the North Rhine-Westphalia Office for the Protection of the Constitution, the worldview that he spreads in a friendly manner and often in a sports jersey is extremist-Salafist. But that is not the reason why the preacher was arrested in Düsseldorf. This concerns suspicions of commercial fraud and gang fraud.
Hundreds of thousands of euros have been lied to
The 33-year-old is said to have raised more than 353,000 euros through 19 fundraising campaigns for needy children and charities. But only almost 5,000 euros were actually transferred in accordance with the donation requests.
His 33-year-old partner and his 37-year-old sister are said to have taken part. Police and prosecutors report that they are also being investigated. The pastor already has a relevant criminal record. Fines have been imposed on him so far, says prosecutor Laura Neumann.
Luxury living financed by donations
The Salafist lifestyle influencer, as he is described in the NRW Ministry of the Interior’s Islamism Situation Report, instead invested the money in luxury watches and his lavish lifestyle. A judge has now remanded him in custody due to the risk that he might abscond and repeat the crime. The 33-year-old has remained silent about the current allegations. The presumption of innocence applies.
The investigators noticed that his calls for donations remained vague and vague. As a rule, he did not say where exactly the money should go and he did not mention any cooperation with aid organizations. The work of the ‘Donation’ investigative committee started in 2021 and a search for him was already underway last year. Nevertheless, he continued to diligently collect donations.
I wanted to run away with prey
Investigators reported that he then prepared to go to Dubai. That is why they struck again on Wednesday and had previously obtained so-called asset arrests. Three apartments were searched.
The investigators provisionally secured assets worth 353,000 euros, the amount of the alleged damage. Fat bundles containing 20,000 euros in cash, some luxury watches from the ‘Rolex’ brand and some luxury handbags were seized and a limousine from Stuttgart was taken to the tow bar. In addition, seven accounts were seized.
Extremism for a wide audience
The 33-year-old German has become a force in the Islamist scene with his reach on social media. Not only the situation report on Islamism, but also the NRW Constitutional Protection Report devotes a separate chapter to the Düsseldorfer.
He also receives great support for his simple language: in January there were already more than ten million ‘likes’ on TikTok, the authorities report. ‘Abdelhamid’ continues what Pierre Vogel, who now runs a boxing gym in Bergheim near Cologne, started: making extremist Salafism accessible to a wider audience.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
