A 35-year-old Brussels man has appeared before the Bruges Criminal Court on charges of fraud and identity misuse after allegedly swindling a 37-year-old woman in Knokke-Heist through a dating app.
The defendant, J.B. met the victim in January 2024 through Muzz, a dating app for Muslims. He made grand declarations of love but quickly began asking for money.
Initially, the requests were for small amounts to cover groceries or medication. He claimed to have significant medical expenses, including costs related to diabetes.
As the woman grew increasingly suspicious, J.B. threatened to kill himself, and over a period of just six weeks, he managed to extract nearly €25,000 from the victim.
He also used a copy of her identity card and driving licence to rent a car, despite being under a driving ban. This ultimately led to several fines being sent to her.
The prosecution argued that J.B. committed these offences due to financial difficulties after his restaurant business went bankrupt.
Half of the money obtained was reportedly transferred to the account of his then 29-year-old Romanian partner, E.R., who is now being prosecuted in absentia and faces a six-month prison sentence.
For J.B., the prosecution requested a one-year prison term, citing his extensive criminal record of 26 prior convictions, including a 2018 sentence for a false bomb threat.
J.B.’s defence asked for the fraud charges to be dropped, arguing that he genuinely planned to start a relationship with the victim.
His lawyer, Jorn Verminck, claimed J.B. requested financial assistance to cover real medical costs and intended to repay all the money.
The court will issue its verdict on 15 May.
