Verdict in Vienna

Girlfriend blackmailed with nude photos: one year in prison!

The 20-year-old, who works part-time as a waiter for 300 euros a month, had wanted to earn additional income.

(Bild: thinkstockphotos.de)

A 20-year-old man was sentenced on Monday in Vienna to twelve months' conditional imprisonment for blackmailing two women, including his girlfriend at the time, by threatening to publish nude photos. The sentence is already legally binding.

The 20-year-old, who works part-time as a waiter for 300 euros a month, wanted to generate additional income. To do so, he opened a fake account on Snapchat and wrote to his girlfriend that he was in possession of nude photos of her and would publish them if she did not pay him 2,000 euros or have sex with him. To back up his claim, he sent the young woman a photo of her mother that she had once sent him in the past.

Friends put on Halloween masks
The young woman had no idea that the profile concealed her boyfriend and arranged a meeting to hand over the money on December 25, 2023 at Wilhelminenberg in Ottakring. However, she was only able to come up with half of the requested amount. The 20-year-old, who was also accompanying his girlfriend, arranged in advance for two friends to accept the money on his behalf. The two put on Halloween masks so that the woman could not recognize them.

At the meeting, the 20-year-old hid in the bushes to watch the money being handed over. When the masked men had the euros in their hands, the man ran after them and pretended to be trying to get the money back.

Girlfriend only found out about the scam after second extortion attempt
On January 4, 2024, he tried again to get money in this way. He blackmailed an acquaintance who, however, did not get involved in the schemes but went straight to the police. The investigators soon realized that the 20-year-old was behind it. And so the girlfriend - the two are now separated - also found out that the young man was also responsible for her blackmail.

"It was a mistake. I did it without much thought," said the young Syrian. He had already apologized to the young women and made amends for the damage, he claimed before the lay assessor's court. However, his ex-girlfriend has not yet seen the money. The court awarded the woman the outstanding amount of money. The 20-year-old must also make use of probation assistance.

Acquitted of brawl in front of bar
The man was acquitted of the charge of assault. He was present on March 24 when friends of his had a fight with two men outside a pub in Hernals. He allegedly gave one of them a bloody nose with his fist. He admitted that he was there, but only kicked once with his foot to defend himself. As the victim no longer clearly recognized the 20-year-old - he had "drunk six to seven beers" that evening, the police spoke of "above-average alcoholization" - the accused was acquitted in the case.