A Bosnian national, identified as Huso B., is being labeled one of the worst cases of a foreigner taking advantage of Germany’s generous welfare system. The man, who has numerous criminal offenses on his record, remains in Germany despite being under a mandatory order to leave the country for 23 years.
Remarkably, the German justice system failed to find him and “suspended” criminal proceedings against him, while Bild newspaper then went on to find him with ease.
Despite Huso B. overstaying his welcome by decades, the state provides him €7250.77 every month to support his wife and eight children.
The bureaucratic confusion reached a new peak last December. When the Cologne District Court attempted to try B. on fraud charges, officials claimed he could not be located—despite his address being documented by the City of Cologne and the city’s job center. However, reporters from Bild newspaper were able to find him almost immediately.
On Dec. 8, 2025, Huso B. was scheduled to appear before the Cologne District Court. He faces allegations of defrauding a drugstore chain out of a four-figure sum across three separate instances. However, the trial was derailed because the court’s formal summons was reportedly never served at his asylum seeker accommodation.
According to officials, the postman was unable to deliver the documents to B. personally or leave them in a mailbox. Because the court was “thus unable to load him,“ the trial date was scrapped, and the legal proceedings were suspended.
Bild, however, appears to have embarrassed the city government and the German legal system. The paper sent a reporter directly to the asylum seeker’s home in southern Cologne. There, without much work, they found his mailbox with his name clearly listed.
Not only that, but once the reporters arrived, they found Huso B. in person. He spoke to the reporters, telling them that he does not have any legal troubles and the last time he was investigated was back in 2014.
Bild’s efforts did not go to waste. Once Bild revealed the incompetence of German authorities, they are now responding
“He is currently being searched for. However, there is no arrest warrant against him. That would be disproportionate given the allegations made,“ Cologne’s senior public prosecutor Ulrich Bremer told Bild. “However, we will now use the Bild research as an opportunity to check again whether he can be found at the address.“
Bild further highlighted the absurd situation in the Cologne justice system. While the police and justices said Huso B. could not be found, the social welfare office was continuing to send him money.
He and his family receive €87,000 a year under the Asylum Seekers Benefit Act, which includes “support for living expenses.”
In addition, the family lives rent-free in a state-provided home. When reviewing documents from the Job Center, the press confirmed that the proper address is on file and that the welfare office authorities had this information the entire time.
