It's about donation fraud Salafist Tiktok star on trial in Germany
An Islamist Tiktok star with hundreds of thousands of followers has to stand trial in Düsseldorf. He is alleged to have pocketed donations for children in need on a grand scale.
20.06.2025, 17:43
dpa
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- An Islamist preacher is on trial in Germany for donation fraud.
- He reached hundreds of thousands of followers on Tiktok and Instagram under the name "Abdelhamid".
- He is said to have embezzled almost half a million euros with appeals to help children in need.
Under the name "Abdelhamid", he reached hundreds of thousands of followers as a preacher on Tiktok and Instagram. According to the Office for the Protection of the Constitution of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the world view he spread there in a chummy manner and often in a sports jersey is extremist and Salafist.
However, the fact that the 33-year-old has to appear as a defendant before the district court in Düsseldorf next Tuesday has nothing to do with extremism. It is about donation fraud. He is said to have lined his own pockets with 37 appeals to help children in need. The public prosecutor's office suspects commercial and gang fraud.
The now 34-year-old is said to have raised almost half a million euros (approx. 471,000 Swiss francs). However, only just under 5,000 euros are said to have actually been forwarded in accordance with the appeals for donations. His 33-year-old partner is also in the dock as an alleged accomplice. The preacher already has a criminal record and fines have been imposed on him, according to public prosecutor Laura Neumann.
Lifestyle influencer
For the security authorities, his videos are seen as a gateway to a spiral of radicalization - especially for young, uneducated people. Dehran A. is described as a Salafist lifestyle influencer in the Islamism situation report of the Ministry of the Interior of North Rhine-Westphalia.
With his reach, the German had become a major figure in the Islamist scene. Not only the Islamism situation report, but also the constitution protection report of the West German federal state dedicate a separate section to the man from Düsseldorf.
Ten million "likes" on Tiktok
With his simple language, he received great approval in the form of ten million "likes" on Tiktok. The authorities warned that Abdelhamid was continuing what Pierre Vogel - a well-known German Islamist - had started: making extremist Salafism accessible to a wider audience.
But since last September, at least his Instagram channel has been in the clear. He was arrested in October. A judge had sent him to pre-trial detention - because of the risk of escape and repetition. The then 33-year-old had remained silent about the charges.
Luxury watches and large bundles of cash
The investigators had noticed that his appeals for donations remained vague and nebulous. As a rule, he did not say where exactly the money should go and did not mention any cooperation with aid organizations.
The work of the "Donation" investigation commission had already begun in 2021, and his home was searched in 2023. Despite this, he is said to have diligently continued to collect donations.
Limousine on the tow hook
When he then made preparations to leave for Dubai, the investigators struck. Three apartments were searched and large bundles of 20,000 euros in cash, several luxury Rolex watches and several luxury handbags were confiscated. A limousine from Stuttgart ended up on the tow hook. Seven bank accounts were also seized.
The indictment is around 600 pages long. The district court has scheduled six trial days until July.
