At the end of April, an Afghan family contacted the local employment center in Hamburg. The parents and their five children, as a needy household, applied for Bürgergeld, the citizens’ benefit paid when people have no income or do not earn enough money to support themselves and their dependents. According to official documents obtained by German investigative portal Nius, the employment center approved monthly payments of €6,733.83 from June to November 2025, with an increase to €6,814.83 starting in January 2026. Of this amount, approximately €5,100 is earmarked for Fördern und Wohnen, the city-owned social enterprise that runs the refugee accommodation where the family currently resides.
According to Nius, the Afghan family in question receives substantial state welfare support while its members run a chain of Middle Eastern grocery stores in Berlin and Hamburg. The head of the Hamburg family appears to be working at one of the supermarkets owned by members of his extended family. Raising further questions, two adult members of the household regularly flaunt expensive cars and watches on social media, posting hashtags such as “rich” and “Dubai.” The father apparently also poses on Facebook as an “entrepreneur” who visited Istanbul a few months ago.
“A large Afghan family collects 7,000 euros in citizens’ income while running a supermarket and showcasing their wealth on social media. This is hardly an isolated case–it is systematic. It’s time for the government to finally act. The AfD is ready,” AfD leader Alice Weidel reacted on X.
