Berlin: Contract killers wanted on the Internet – public prosecutors file charges

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Public prosecutor's office in Berlin (symbol image)

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He wanted to get rid of a man's partner: In Berlin, a 28-year-old man searched the Internet for a contract killer.

The public prosecutor's office has now brought charges against the man, as the "Berliner Zeitung" reports. 

The 28-year-old reportedly fell in love with a man in 2020 who wasn't in love with him and was also in a committed relationship.

In order to win his love, the accused is said to have initially booked "witches' curses" on the Internet.

After the other man moved in with his partner, his jealousy increased further.

In February of this year he decided to have his rival killed, according to the prosecutor's office.

To do this, he registered with a site on the so-called Darknet.

The portal was supposed to be used to mediate contract killings.

The 28-year-old has stored his data and photos of the potential victim there.

Then he is said to have initially paid 9,000 euros in the cryptocurrency Bitcoin and later increased the amount.

The administrator of the site then promised to kill the partner.

The accused fell for a scam

Then "the usual mechanisms of fraud on the Internet" would have happened: The accused had paid several times and heard various excuses, finally even trying to book a contract killer by the name of "Felix Fleischer".

In April, the administrator is said to have told him that he had fallen for a scam.

He offered to offer himself as a contract killer on the site and to cheat other customers.

The 28-year-old is said to have tried that while continuing to inquire about the possibility of hiring a real contract killer.

An investigative journalist researched the case and shared her findings with the police, the prosecutor said.

This enabled the accused to be identified and arrested.

He has been in custody since April.

The public prosecutor's office accuses him of attempted incitement to insidious murder out of greed.

The Berlin district court will now decide on the charges and a possible opening of the main proceedings.

kha/AFP