Serious criminal as social media star This is why a gangster boss is currently being celebrated on Tiktok

This man is said to be the Hells Angels boss of Europe. A serious criminal who served time in prison for various crimes gains fame on social media: an expert classifies the questionable hype.

The story of Necati Arabaci (52) resembles a Hollywood movie from the 90s. The serious criminal gang boss, also known as the Cologne Godfather, is currently being celebrated on social media.

Videos of Arabaci in Monaco and other cities are circulating on Tiktok, some of which have over 15 million views. Few pictures of the Hells boss can be found online, but the drug baron doesn't seem to be afraid of videos. Time and again he appears in expensive cars, including a Rolls-Royce with a Zurich license plate number in Monte-Carlo.

As soon as Arabaci appears somewhere, passers-by pull out their cell phones and film the drug baron. Fans even take pictures with him.

He is celebrated online - almost idolized like a star. Users write: "Trés trés grand monsieur moi je l'adore!!!", which means a very, very tall man, I love him. But there are also critical voices in the comments column.

Why does a serious criminal enjoy so much attention and popularity on social media?

Social media expert: "Luxury plays a major role"

Keenan Brill is Social and Influencer Manager at Contcept Communication. When asked by blue News, he said: "TikTok's algorithm favors content that is aligned with users' interests - and luxury plays a major role in this." Arabaci proudly shows off his expensive cars, luxurious watches, tailor-made suits and even riding scenes with fine horses. "Such scenes are particularly popular in German hip-hop culture, which is strongly influenced by mafia aesthetics and criminal lifestyles," continues Brill.

This combination of the mafioso look and opulent wealth is extremely appealing and further reinforces the algorithm. Similar to the glorification of the mafia in rap, the dark reality of his deeds and their victims remain in the background. "Instead, the charismatic and cool side of the criminal lifestyle is emphasized, which increases the fascination for figures like Arabaci and the mafia cult," says Brill.

People are fascinated by border-crossers

Media psychologist Jo Groebel says at the request of blue News: "There is such a thing as a fascination with evil. In this case, that's true." We humans are fascinated by films, media reports and encounters with various negative events. "On an emotional level, we all find something exciting that is special in some way or crosses a boundary," explains Groebel.

That's why people read the newspaper or want to catch a glimpse of what's happening in an accident. It's similar with Arabaci. "The man is a kind of gangster. He lives a life that is real, i.e. not a movie, but is very far removed from the lives of others," says Groebel. Very few of them sell drugs, are pimps or even have someone on their conscience. That makes it attractive to look.

It is quite natural for people to instinctively look at something that perhaps does not fit into reality or the norm. That's why anti-heroes are almost as popular in films as heroes.

"With this phenomenon on social media, there are various factors that lead to this kind of behavior from onlookers," says Groebel. By behavior, he means that passers-by want to film the felon or take a photo with him. "This allows them to get close to a person who leads a life that is perhaps only known from movies."

The phenomenon raises moral questions

Then there is the value of celebrity. Arabaci is not a no-name. He has already been reported on in the media. "When someone with an expensive car and an extravagant appearance turns up in a place, people automatically take notice."

But Groebel also sees dangers: "When people like Arabaci or celebrities like Diddy get so much attention, it's a kind of reward for them. This can then take on a dangerous dimension."

You also have to differentiate. "There are people who call for violence or radicalize themselves on social media. Some of these are criminal acts and I condemn them," says Groebel. But that is not the case with Arabaci. That is why there is only a moral question to clarify. "You could ask your fellow human beings whether it's really okay to hype a serious criminal like that." But everyone has to decide that for themselves.

The Cologne godfather and his life

Arabaci was born in Cologne in 1972. Little is known about his childhood. His parents originally came from Turkey. It was not until the 1990s that the German-Turkish man appeared on the authorities' radar. He gained influence in the red light district in Cologne through his connections to bouncers close to the Hells Angels.

Through his involvement in several brothels, including the "Babylon" in Elsdorf near Cologne and the Wiago in Leverkusen, as well as other establishments on Mallorca, Arabaci earned a golden nose.

Since 1999 he is said to have controlled one of the most powerful pimp groups in Cologne, disguised as a fruit dealer. He is said to have owned numerous brothels through front men and extended his influence as far as Frankfurt and the Ruhr area.

First arrest in Germany

But the turning point came in 2002: Arabaci was arrested by a special task force and sentenced to nine years in prison in 2004 for ringleadership in a criminal organization, pimping, serious human trafficking and extortion.

While he was in prison in Bochum, it became known that he had planned a contract killing of the investigating public prosecutor in 2003, but this could not be prosecuted due to a lack of evidence. In 2007, after serving a third of his sentence, Arabaci was deported to Turkey on the condition that he would not return to Germany.

Despite his deportation from Germany, Arabaci continues to exert great influence there. In 2010, he is regarded as the president of the "Hells Angels MC Nomads Turkey" and, according to media reports, is said to have expanded his network to include brothels and prostitutes throughout Europe. Investigators also suspect that he was active in the drug trade and made a fortune with heroin from South America.

Arabaci is considered the Hells boss of all of Europe

In 2013, following the arrest of Hells Angels functionary Frank Hanebuth, Arabaci was considered a possible new European head of the organization. In the same year, Der Spiegel reported that Arabaci had initiated a raid on a Hells Angels business in Krefeld.

An EU-wide arrest warrant was issued for Arabaci in 2015. He was arrested in Turkey in 2018, but was released again due to a lack of evidence.

Even his re-arrest in July 2020 did not lead to permanent imprisonment.