German authorities have uncovered a large-scale scheme involving Bulgarians and Romanians fraudulently receiving child benefits for non-existent or absent children. According to the investigation, social benefits were paid out for 59 children who either do not exist or reside in their home countries rather than in Germany.

The case is centered in Duisburg, a city with a significant Bulgarian and Romanian population. The fraudulent activity was discovered in a high-rise residential building primarily inhabited by people from these two nationalities. This building gained notoriety last year when a well-known pallet delivery company refused to deliver there, citing threats to its employees.

At the end of October, a police operation led to the detention of 16 people suspected of being involved in the scam. Authorities conducted detailed inspections to verify who actually lived in the building and who was only registered there to claim social benefits. The findings revealed a stark discrepancy: although approximately 1,400 people were registered at the address, fewer than 600 were actually residing there.

Further investigations revealed that while around 300 children were officially registered at the location, many were actually living in Bulgaria or Romania but still receiving financial support from the German state. As a result, payments for 59 fraudulent cases were halted, and authorities are now working to recover misallocated funds. Additionally, future payments amounting to over a million euros have been blocked.

The mayor of Duisburg emphasized the severity of the issue, noting that a significant portion of registered children were not physically present in Germany. The city government has pledged to continue thorough inspections to prevent similar abuses in the future.