Woman staged her own stalking to set up innocent man, prosecutors say

The Public Prosecution Service will prosecute a woman who reportedly stalked herself with her own phone, which led to the wrongful incrimination of an innocent man, RTL Boulevard reported on Saturday. While the stalking messages seemed to come from the man's phone, it appeared she had written them herself. She faces charges including filing a false report and committing identity fraud.

In 2021, Sanne S., a 33-year-old woman, reported being stalked to the TV program “Zeeman Confronteert: Stalkers,” a show dedicated to investigating such incidents. She recounted how a patient named Berry, whom she met in 2017 during her internship at a psychiatric facility, became obsessed with her. In 2019, the man was sentenced to a year in prison and was ordered to pay for the damages he allegedly caused.

The producers of the TV program began investigating the case but found no evidence supporting the stalking allegations. It soon became clear that Sanne S. had orchestrated everything. The TV program team discovered she used spoofing, a technique that enables someone to simulate phone calls or messages from another person’s device using his own.

When the producers presented their evidence to Sanne S., she confessed and expressed regret for her actions.

The police launched an investigation under the direction of the Public Prosecution Service following the discovery made in the TV program and Berry's charges against Sanne S. The investigation revealed that the messages, stalking, and threats originated from her. The prosecution announced the woman is accused of filing a false report and committing identity fraud.

Berry has since been released. He has consistently denied the stalking allegations. Speaking to RTL Boulevard, he expressed significant relief at the woman's confessions, stating, "Her prosecution is the first step towards justice for me. My lawyer is currently working on a judicial review."