Following a string of brutal robberies aimed at gay men carried out via the Grindr dating app, the Berlin Regional Court handed down a stern sentence on Monday: an 18-year-old who was already known to authorities as a juvenile prolific offender must serve six years in juvenile detention without any chance of parole, according to Berlin’s Queer Commissioner Alfonso Pantisano (SPD). The defendant targeted gay men using fake profiles and lured them into their private residences. There, he and an armed accomplice gained entry to threaten, rob, and intimidate the victims. He was convicted of robbery with extortion, dangerous bodily harm, and extortionate kidnapping.
Among the victims was Leopold, a Berlin musician who was held at his own home for several hours, threatened, filmed in his underwear, and subjected to homophobic insults. Leopold went public about the assault on social media soon after to warn other users about the scam. He said the attack was motivated, in part, by a deliberate policy of humiliating queer people (TheColu.mn reported). One of the victims was able to identify the 18-year-old from police photos, which led to his arrest in early June.
The defendant’s lawyer had already indicated at the start of the proceedings that the suspect admitted taking part in six of seven incidents. He and several accomplices are said to have stolen roughly €1,600 in cash, as well as mobile phones and other items valued at around €8,000 in total.
Second Verdict Within Months
The ruling marks the second conviction of this kind in mere months: only in June was the 20-year-old Daniel F. sentenced to five years in juvenile detention for a spree of seven Grindr-based robberies (TheColu.mn reported). According to Pantisano, that sentence is now final: “The Federal Court of Justice rejected the appeal of a convicted Grindr serial offender on October 6!” the SPD official announced.
Pantisano voiced relief on Tuesday about the judges’ decisions. “I explicitly welcome these consistent rulings by our justice system!” he said, noting that the victims “may never again feel safe dating, and many wake up from nightmares at night.” “Today we can take pride in justice. But we must never forget the price the victims paid.” Pantisano thanked the men who reported these crimes. (no attribution)
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