Gambling addict robs grandmother of €10,000

In Mouscron, a sensitive family case is now before the courts. A man addicted to online gambling is being prosecuted for dipping into the bank accounts of his own grandmother, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. 

Family trust turned to suspicion

The defendant, represented by his lawyer and absent from the hearing, is accused of siphoning off around €10,000 from his grandmother’s accounts. According to the prosecution, the man had all the victim’s bank details on his mobile phone. The financial transactions multiplied until the octogenarian’s resources were almost completely exhausted.

The victim’s lawyer described an alarming situation in court:

“We’re talking about €10,000. He squandered everything she had.” He also emphasised the plaintiff’s frailty: “She was in a manifest state of weakness. She has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Within 30 minutes, she forgets what you’ve told her.”

At the end of the disputed direct debits, there was almost nothing left in the account: 48 centimes to end the month. A sum that has come to symbolise the seriousness of the facts complained of.

The case became official on 26 February 2024. On that day, the grandmother went to the police with a social worker. Together, they noticed repeated transfers of money to the grandson.

The prosecutor retraced the steps: transfers were being made to the accused’s accounts. The investigators established a link with his financial profile and his compulsive gambling behaviour. The money was used in particular to settle debts with creditors. The key point is that these were not isolated incidents. A year later, a new complaint was lodged. The situation was repeated despite the initial alert. 

The shadow of online gambling addiction

At the heart of the case was an addiction to online gambling. The defendant does not dispute this. His defence acknowledges that he is addicted. According to the prosecution, this addiction led to a financial spiral: loss of money, debts, pressure from creditors. In this context, access to the grandmother’s accounts would have constituted a dangerous facility.

The prosecutor is not describing a professional swindler, but a man caught up in a spiral. She also emphasised the absence of any previous criminal record. She was therefore not opposed to a probationary suspension or a work penalty, rather than an immediate firm sanction.

In response to the charges, the defence paints a personal portrait of the defendant. A complicated childhood, the absence of his father, a difficult relationship with his mother: the picture is presented as a fragile one. In this context, the grandmother is said to have played a key role. This strong relationship is cited as a reminder that we are not talking about a stranger, but about a long-standing family bond. A closeness that, according to the defence, makes the idea of cold, calculated fraudulent intent incompatible.

Another point raised by the defence was the possible involvement of the defendant’s mother. The lawyer claims that certain transfers show that she also had access to one of the grandmother’s accounts. She also mentioned an episode involving a vehicle: a car belonging to the grandmother was allegedly recovered by the defendant’s mother. For the defence, these elements show that the family environment surrounding the victim’s finances was broader than just the grandson.

The victim’s vulnerability at the centre of the debate

The grandmother’s state of health played a central role in the discussions. For the prosecution, there was no doubt that the victim was in a weakened state. The Alzheimer’s diagnosis was put forward, with its consequences for immediate memory and the ability to keep track of financial transactions.

The defendant’s lawyer maintains that the disease was not at an advanced stage at the time of the first events. She pointed out that the diagnosis had been made between the first and second alleged acts. She added a factor intended to demonstrate a certain degree of autonomy: the grandmother, aged 80, still worked a few hours in the catering trade. For the defence, to speak of total incapacity would therefore be excessive. This assessment of the degree of vulnerability could weigh heavily in the final criminal verdict.

The application for family immunity before the court

The defence relies on a specific legal point: article 462 of the Penal Code, which provides in certain cases for an absolute excuse of kinship in cases of theft. In practical terms, this is a form of immunity linked to family ties.

The lawyer is asking the court to apply this mechanism. If this immunity were recognised, it could exclude criminal sanctions for certain acts committed between close relatives. But what if the court rejected this interpretation? The defence then asked for a simple suspension, pointing to the absence of any previous record, the partial recognition of the facts and the context of addiction.

Judgement expected in early March

According to the statements made at the hearing, the grandmother continues to love her grandson despite the accusations. An emotional dimension that is not enough to erase the financial losses or the feeling of betrayal, but which weighs heavily in the atmosphere of the case.

The Mouscron court will hand down its verdict on 2 March.