Overview

• Angelique and Mike from Pirmasens were reported as convicted by the local court after episodes showed them receiving well over €3,000 monthly through overlapping benefits, with the footage filmed before the verdict.
• They described filing “five to six” applications and spending on items like a €600 boxspring bed, about €800 a month on food and over €100 at a shooting gallery, while selling books taken from public bookcases without notifying the Jobcenter.
• A Rostock participant, Jasmin, says she has gone two months without Bürgergeld after moving and reapplying, fearing no payment until December, a delay tied to jurisdiction changes between Jobcenter districts.
• In new Rostock episodes, Pamela complains of missing funds as her widow’s pension is offset, with the Jobcenter saying it withheld part of her payment to recoup a housing deposit it had covered.
• Bremerhaven’s Monika sought a Sozialamt‑funded hotel after months without housing, submitted offers as advised and was refused, underscoring precarious living situations shown across the series.