By Anne Losensky
As a young woman she came to Germany and applied for asylum. Today Mariam R. (64) is a tribal mother in the notorious Remmo clan: 19 children, 22 entries in the criminal record.
The Lebanese lived for decades on transfer payments. Now she is on trial because she concealed assets and ripped off the social welfare office.
Tiergarten District Court. According to the file number, specialists for organized crime have determined. After 42 years in Germany, the defendant still needs an interpreter.
THE CLAN MOTHER: Mariam R. breathes heavily in the dock. Born in Beirut in 1959. In Germany since 1981. 19 children, 16 alive. A son is said to be the dreaded “Tyson Ali” (39), who spread neighborhood terror in his Spandau neighborhood.
“I have a widow’s pension of 480 euros,” she says, “and sometimes I’m hungry.” Apartment in Neukölln, 1500 euros rent. Residence permit until February 10, 2025. Since January 2019, no more transfer payments from Berlin offices.
“I can cook well,” she translates, “wanted to work, was never allowed to.” A son pays half of her rent. 22 entries in the federal central register (from 1982, theft, fraud). Always fines and suspended sentences.
THE REPROACH: For two years she feigned “inappropriate neediness” to the authorities and claimed to have no assets. But she owned gold jewelry for over 40,000 euros!
This is how it all came out: On September 26, 2018, her apartment on Kantstrasse caught fire. The “impoverished” clan woman reported 120,000 euros in damage, including gold jewelry, to the insurance company. Whether the jewelry was there or not, it will be her undoing: “She admits to fraud,” says her lawyer.
THE VERDICT: 1 year and 7 months imprisonment, probation period 3 years. 21,165.89 euros are collected from her.
“They cheated the Spandau social welfare office and the job center for two years,” says the judge. “You obtained funds to which you were not entitled. You’ve been a criminal here for over 40 years. Have been convicted time and time again with no change in your behavior towards the rule of law.”
The clan mother is dissatisfied. The verdict is her 23rd entry in the criminal record. She can contest it.