Woman wrongfully portrayed as criminal in TV crime show sues SNS Bank for damages

An Enschede woman who was mistakenly identified as a fraudster is going to court on Friday to get her name formally cleared as well as financial compensation after the bank footage was used on a TV crime show, RTL Nieuws reported on Monday.

The incident took place three years ago. On February 5, 2020, Fatima L'Bouhdidi withdrew 10 euros from an SNS ATM in Enschede. However, months later, she was wrongfully identified as a fraudster on the RTV Oost TV program, Onder de Loep (“Under the Magnifying Glass”), which alleged that she had stolen 3,000 euros. The bank's footage, which showed her making the withdrawal, was accompanied by the message, "This lady stole 3,000 euros."

The error caused her extreme distress to the point of contacting emergency services."I was completely hysterical and broke down with shame. Suddenly everyone saw me as a criminal,” she told RTL Nieuws. ”

The police were quick to establish her innocence by verifying her bank account details, which confirmed the minor withdrawal. They reached out to the TV program to rectify the error and have the misleading images removed from the internet.

However, the negative repercussions of the misidentification persisted for Fatima. In the days that followed the broadcast, she became anxious about leaving her home. She was worried that her neighbors and others in her apartment complex would view her as a criminal. A few days later, she contacted the police seeking further clarification.

Fatima was summoned to the police station for questioning. Having consulted with the SNS bank, the police were convinced they had the correct footage implicating her as the suspect. An officer instructed her to provide her fingerprints. "He just couldn't understand that even though I was in the picture, I was not the wanted criminal."

Only an hour later did the police realize the error. A technical glitch at the bank caused a mismatch between the time of the cash withdrawal and the surveillance footage of the actual culprits. As a result, L’Bouhdidi was mistakenly shown in the video as withdrawing money stolen by the fraudsters.

While the prosecution, police, and investigative program extended their apologies, Fatima received no communication from the bank. In fact, she was left with the impression that the bank still considered her guilty. "They don't seem to realize the impact this is having on my life," she said. The incident affected Fatima's psychological well-being and strained her relationship with her daughter, who faced negative repercussions due to her mother's wrongful portrayal.

Fatima has hired the services of Gert Poot from STIP advocaten, who confirmed that they have initiated a lawsuit against the SNS bank. Poot argued that the bank needs to recognize its mistake and assume responsibility. "When people see images of a suspect in an investigative program, they naturally assume that those images are correct," he said. According to the lawyer, many things went wrong and the SNS is responsible for this. "It is important that the bank recognizes this and takes responsibility." He said he plans to demand not only an apology but also compensation for the pain and suffering both Fatima and her daughter endured.

The SNS bank, in response, expressed regret for the incident, explaining they had attempted to reach out to Fatima but were unsuccessful. The bank clarified its role in providing images but said the police decide on their use in investigations. The court hearing in Utrecht on Friday will determine the outcome.