Paternity Fraud: Nigerian Migrant Scams German Authorities, Claims 24 Children for €22,000 Monthly Support

According to an investigative report dubbed “False Fathers” by ARD-Kontraste and Rbb24-Recherche, a Nigerian migrant identified as Jonathan A, residing in Germany, has been exploiting the German immigration law to receive about €22,000 monthly in child support for the 24 children he claimed to have fathered.

Jonathan, despite receiving monthly support for his alleged 24 children from German authorities who considered him poor and “destitute,” flaunts a luxurious lifestyle on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok under the username Mr Cash Money, showcasing his collection of expensive cars.

Under the German immigration law, children born to its citizens automatically gain citizenship, regardless of their residence, extending citizenship to the mothers and close relatives of these children.

Jonathan, born in Nigeria, holds German citizenship, entitling any child he fathers an automatic German citizenship, irrespective of their birthplace.

Owing to this, Jonathan has expanded his dependents to 94 persons, including his 24 children, their mothers, and other close relations, securing foreign citizenship and entitlement to a minimum of $22,500 for their care.

However, according to Axel Boshamer, an immigration officer, cited in the report:

“Sham paternity is about allowing people who have no prospects of staying in Germany to stay in Germany.”

“These people are willing to pay money for this, usually to the person who takes on the fictitious paternity,” he said.

Reportedly, many women from West African countries are taking advantage of these porous laws to settle in North Rhine-Westphalia, as stated by Boshamer.

Andreas Keppke, co-author of the report, estimated that Jonathan alone has cost taxpayers over a million euros in government support. The lack of legal consequences for falsifying paternity claims exacerbates the issue, as lying about fatherhood is not considered a criminal offence under German law.

The nation’s Ministry of Justice has swiftly reacted by drafting legislation to address paternity abuse and deter future exploitation of the immigration system.

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