Gambling addict who defrauded and threatened his own girlfriend exposed on TV
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4 Oct 2025 •
Reading time: 2 minutes In a new episode of Kees van der Spek Ontmaskert, the presenter travels to Sweden to confront gambling addict Daniel. Daniel met Dutch woman Ellen through a dating site. Their online contact seemed innocent, but quickly turned into a nightmare.
Daniel persuaded her to open a gambling account. At first, he used his own money, but soon her savings also disappeared into the gambling sites. Ellen ultimately lost €18,000.
From love to threats and fear
What started as a digital romance turned into deception, threats and financial exploitation. Daniel pressured Ellen to transfer more and more money. When she refused, he threatened not only her but also her family.
Ellen admitted that she acted in panic and sent money out of fear. Everything ended up directly at online casinos.
‘I thought he needed help, but he dragged me into his addiction,’ she said in tears.
The confrontation in Sweden escalated
Together with Kees van der Spek, Ellen confronted him. The team discovered that Daniel already had a criminal record for fraud. During the meeting, he denied everything and pretended not to know her. Yet shortly before that, he had sent threatening messages to Ellen.
‘I never threatened her,’ he said emphatically. ‘I only forwarded what others said.’
His words sounded implausible, especially when the presenter confronted him with the facts.
Daniel promises repayment but then asks for money again
At the end of the episode, Daniel promised to repay Ellen. He admitted that he was doing wrong and was struggling with major problems. However, it soon became apparent that he had broken his promise.
In an update, Ellen said that Daniel had tried to get money from her again. This time, she did not fall for it. She is now waiting for the Swedish police, who are supposed to question him.
Heartbreaking stories show how gambling addiction destroys lives
Ellen’s story is not unique. Everywhere, there are examples of people who lose everything due to gambling addiction. For example, a Belgian postman got into trouble after stealing a bank card to gamble.
In the United States, too, the dramas are piling up. Families are sometimes completely ruined, as in the recent allegations against DraftKings, which led to a devastated family and serious charges.