According to Remix News, a Bosnian national identified as Huso B. has become emblematic of what critics describe as one of the most extreme cases of a foreign national exploiting Germany’s expansive welfare system.
Despite a lengthy criminal record and a standing deportation order requiring him to leave Germany, he has remained in the country for 23 years.Even more striking, German authorities reportedly lost track of him, leading to the suspension of criminal proceedings. In contrast, journalists from Bild newspaper were able to locate him without difficulty. Throughout his prolonged stay, Huso B. has continued to receive €7,250.77 per month in state support to provide for his wife and eight children.The bureaucratic confusion intensified last December. The Cologne District Court sought to prosecute him on fraud charges, but officials claimed they were unable to locate him—despite his address being registered with both the City of Cologne and the local job center. Nevertheless, Bild reporters quickly found him at the recorded address.Huso B. was scheduled to appear in court on December 8, 2025, facing accusations of defrauding a drugstore chain of a four-figure sum in three separate incidents. The proceedings were halted, however, after authorities stated that the official court summons had not been successfully delivered to his asylum accommodation. Postal workers allegedly failed to hand the documents to him directly or leave them in his mailbox. As a result, the court declared it could not properly summon him, canceled the trial date, and suspended the case.Bild’s investigation cast doubt on those claims. A reporter visited the asylum residence in southern Cologne and located a mailbox clearly labeled with Huso B.’s name. The journalists also encountered him in person. During the exchange, he reportedly denied having any current legal issues and stated that the last investigation involving him dated back to 2014.Following the media coverage, Cologne’s senior public prosecutor Ulrich Bremer acknowledged that authorities would reexamine the case. “He is currently being searched for. However, there is no arrest warrant against him. That would be disproportionate given the allegations made,” Bremer told Bild. “We will now use the Bild research as an opportunity to check again whether he can be found at the address.”The situation has also highlighted inconsistencies within Cologne’s administrative system. While law enforcement officials claimed they could not find Huso B., the social welfare office continued to transfer funds to him. Under the Asylum Seekers Benefit Act, he and his family reportedly receive approximately €87,000 annually in support for living expenses. Additionally, they reside rent-free in housing provided by the state.A review of Job Center documents by the press confirmed that his correct address was on record and that welfare authorities had access to this information throughout.Read more here...