A Nigerian migrant, simply identified as Jonathan, residing in Germany, has sparked controversy by exploiting German immigration laws to receive a staggering €22,000 monthly child support for the 24 children he claims to father.
Despite being deemed “poor” by German authorities, Jonathan leads a flamboyant lifestyle showcased on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, where he flaunts luxury cars under the username “Mr Cash Money,” according to an investigative report by ARD-Kontraste and Rbb24-Recherche.
Under German law, children of citizens automatically receive citizenship, regardless of residence, with their mothers and close relatives also recognized as citizens.
Jonathan has expanded his dependents to 94 individuals, including his alleged children, their mothers, and close relatives, exploiting this loophole to access foreign citizenship and substantial financial support.
Dubbed “fake fathers” in the investigative report, individuals like Jonathan often receive payments from women, posing as mothers, to falsely claim paternity for citizenship benefits. Axel Boshamer, an immigration officer, highlighted how this scheme allows individuals with no prospects of staying in Germany to exploit the system.
Andreas Keppke, co-author of the report, revealed that Jonathan alone has cost German taxpayers over a million euros. The lack of repercussions for fraudulent paternity claims and the absence of a central civil status register exacerbate the issue, enabling paternity fraud to thrive unchecked.
In response to the report, Germany’s Ministry of Justice is swiftly drafting legislation to deter future abuses of paternity laws, underscoring the urgent need to address this growing problem.
