Tens of thousands of francs in damages Rental fraudster has to leave Switzerland

A woman is expelled from the country: She repeatedly defrauded landlords, social welfare and on Facebook. The resulting loss amounts to 43,989 francs.

Someone didn't want to pay the rent: A woman with Croatian roots, but who grew up in Switzerland, is alleged to have defrauded several landlords in recent years as a so-called rental nomad, as the "Aargauer Zeitung" newspaper writes.

According to the indictment, she obtained several apartments by providing false information about permanent employment, income and rental references, causing a total loss of CHF 43,989.

After she and her husband had always paid two to three rents at the beginning, they stopped making payments at some point. They only moved out after costly proceedings for the landlords.

Repeat offenders make life difficult for landlords

Right at the start of the court hearing in Bremgarten, the defendant made it clear: "I'm in a very bad way, I've had panic attacks for ten years." Court president Raimond Corboz went through the charges one by one. At the end of 2018, the woman signed a six-month rental agreement for a detached house in Bergdietikon for a monthly rent of 3,500 francs.

She explained that she had requested a reduction in the rent due to a heating failure and defective sanitary facilities, and that the use of a toilet in the garden had been necessary. When the landlord demanded a deposit of CHF 10,000, the family finally moved out.

In June 2019, the family rented an apartment in Berikon for 18 months, this time at CHF 2,210 per month. According to the indictment, two to three months' rent remained unpaid here too. The accused also gave a fictitious couple called "Mr. and Mrs. Peppi" as a reference. When the landlord called the number, the woman answered the phone herself and gave herself a good reference.

The family found another apartment in Berikon in September 2020. The rent here was CHF 2215 per month, but shortly after the contract began, a previous landlord warned the new owners of possible payment defaults.

Welfare and Facebook fraud in addition to rent fraud

In addition to rent fraud, the woman had also made false declarations to the social welfare office. The family received CHF 3263 a month in social welfare benefits. However, her husband's income from daily unemployment benefits received retroactively was concealed, so that the family unlawfully received 44,500 francs.

The defendant defended herself, saying that she "never had too much money". Her son had cancer and the treatment, which cost CHF 200,000, was not covered by health insurance.

The indictment also accuses the woman of Facebook fraud. She sold bags and perfumes, but did not send the goods. She explained that she sometimes failed to do so due to her mental state, but wanted to repay the money to those affected.

Her defense lawyer demanded an acquittal and explained that his client had intended to pay the rent and had not acted intentionally. Enrichment was not the aim.

Fraudster partially acquitted

The court acquitted the woman in the first case concerning the house in Bergdietikon and discontinued proceedings relating to Facebook fraud. However, she was found guilty of fraud in the other cases.

She received a conditional prison sentence of one year and a fine of CHF 1,500. Court President Corboz justified the verdict as follows: "You paid the rent for as long as you had enough." In the second tenancy, the longer living period was only made possible by additional unemployment benefits.

The guilty verdict has serious consequences for the accused: she has to leave Switzerland for five years, partly because she has several previous convictions. "You have been warned before, you didn't want to listen," Corboz admonished.

The woman explained that she had nothing in Croatia and that her son needed her support, even though he was of legal age. "That's the law, you don't have to blame me, you have to blame yourself," the judge concluded.