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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is something not quite adding up here or am I overthinking it?

34 replies

Penelope124 · 13/08/2025 10:28

My friend met a guy in December, they went on a couple of dates but he was quite full on so she ended it. They kept in touch as they have a lot of similar interests in fitness, they got back together in March this year and have been together since.
They spend most of their weekends together, doing their sports related stuff. They seem to go away most weekends.
He doesn’t work and he’s in his 40’s, when I asked her what he does she says she doesn’t really know. He spends a lot of money paying for them to do sporting events and staying away and she says he refuses to let her pay.
He has two phones, which if he was working I could maybe understand but as he doesn’t work, who needs 2 phones?!
He’s Planning to put his house up for sale, but keep a portion of the land but he wants to put the land in her name. Once he’s sold the house, he was planning to move closer to her as they are an hour away at the moment but that’s recently changed and his new plan is to buy a touring caravan and pitch it up a 3-4hr drive from her so he can spend the week focusing on his hobbies and they’ll travel between at the weekends.
Shes met his daughter a couple of times and his mum once, but not any of his other family - Dad, Sister, Brother.
He wants to take her and her children on holiday, when they went to book the trip he gave her cash and asked her to put it in her bank account and book the holiday in her name.
Am I being overly cautious here for my friend or does this all sound like a walking red flag?!
She was previously in an abusive relationship and she is pretty easy going, when I’ve spoken to her about it she says it’s all fine and there’s nothing weird about it but I’m not sure.

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Fayaway · 13/08/2025 18:57

Have to agree with @HoskinsChoice here.
Your update about the successful business your "friend" owns is even more alarming, coming after the concern regarding the land to be transferred to her name. I was on a jury after a large OCG operation, everyone on the periphery was charged with something including wife, girlfriend, adult child... we had two huge dossiers of phone call transcripts and surveillance photos. She may think this is just using some cash but will be swept into any investigations - and they do overlap so not necessarily if the boyfriend was arrested, could be an associate. Of course she has already alerted the police to someone they may already be watching - they are not exactly going to get back to her about it! Don't even worry about being used as a mule on holiday as he'll be one of the money men, he wouldn't have been anywhere near any actual drugs.
I watched This City is Ours and it was so depressing not only because of ruthless and greedy men but also the way the women know, but are in complete denial as they don't want to lose the lifestyle.

Penelope124 · 13/08/2025 18:47

HoskinsChoice · 13/08/2025 18:13

This is an 'asking for a friend' thing isnt it?' Why would you ask this but then defend her because she 'genuinely' hasn't seen drugs, does t know what he does isn't sponging blah, blah blah. This is you isn't it!

Might be wise to end the relationship.

It’s just me being concerned for a friend, not me! I’m happily married and have been for the last 10 years.
Was just asking for other peoples opinions on the situation before I try and push it further to my friend .

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Penelope124 · 13/08/2025 18:47

HoskinsChoice · 13/08/2025 18:13

This is an 'asking for a friend' thing isnt it?' Why would you ask this but then defend her because she 'genuinely' hasn't seen drugs, does t know what he does isn't sponging blah, blah blah. This is you isn't it!

Might be wise to end the relationship.

It’s just me being concerned for a friend, not me! I’m happily married and have been for the last 10 years.
Was just asking for other peoples opinions on the situation before I try and push it further to my friend .

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HoskinsChoice · 13/08/2025 18:13

This is an 'asking for a friend' thing isnt it?' Why would you ask this but then defend her because she 'genuinely' hasn't seen drugs, does t know what he does isn't sponging blah, blah blah. This is you isn't it!

Might be wise to end the relationship.

HoskinsChoice · 13/08/2025 18:08

Penelope124 · 13/08/2025 14:53

I genuinely think she doesn’t know, she said he doesn’t work now and hasn’t done since they met. He used to have a business that he sold a few years back…so I think she assumes he must have got some money from there, enough to live off.
She isn’t sponging off him and doesn’t need his money as she her own successful business and was telling me that she feels uncomfortable with him refusing to let her pay.
The only thing I can think of is that it must be drugs or something shady, how do I get her to push to find out more?
She did do one of the police checks in March as she was concerned there might be more to him not working and if there was anything he was hiding from her but they never responded after the initial ID stage, so I guess she just assumed there was nothing to know.

'She isn’t sponging off him and doesn’t need his money as she her own successful business and was telling me that she feels uncomfortable with him refusing to let her pay.'

🤣 Bollox! Of course she's sponging. If she was genuinely uncomfortable, she wouldn't let him, I doubt he's holding a gun to her head!

IPM · 13/08/2025 17:17

Just as concerning is that she's allowing him to pay for everything.

No matter where his money is coming from and why he may have two phones, she needs to stop this and pay her own way.

She's actually helping to create a power imbalance by not putting her hand in her pocket very often.

Cerezo · 13/08/2025 17:10

Wait wait, did you say she hasn’t seen any evidence of drugs?

Apart from the secretive cash business, lavish lifestyle, attempts to hide assets, moveable location and 2 phones?

What evidence would be a red flag for her?

Caroparo52 · 13/08/2025 15:35

Trust your gut. He's off grid for a reason. Sounds totally dodgy to me

Penelope124 · 13/08/2025 14:53

I genuinely think she doesn’t know, she said he doesn’t work now and hasn’t done since they met. He used to have a business that he sold a few years back…so I think she assumes he must have got some money from there, enough to live off.
She isn’t sponging off him and doesn’t need his money as she her own successful business and was telling me that she feels uncomfortable with him refusing to let her pay.
The only thing I can think of is that it must be drugs or something shady, how do I get her to push to find out more?
She did do one of the police checks in March as she was concerned there might be more to him not working and if there was anything he was hiding from her but they never responded after the initial ID stage, so I guess she just assumed there was nothing to know.

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dogcatkitten · 13/08/2025 13:49

Could just be working on the black, everything cash in hand and doesn't want to put too much through the books or he has a wife or ex-wife that he wants to hide money from. The land is really odd though, has it been done properly through land registry? Is it meant to be a gift or is she just looking after it for him?

If she is just enjoying the gravy train fair enough but she should be watching for the bumps ahead and be prepared to answer some awkward questions, possibly from the police at some point.

Britneyfan · 13/08/2025 13:46

Daisyvodka · 13/08/2025 13:40

She knows and just isnt telling you, surely. What did she say when you said 'how do you not know what he does?'

Yeah I also think this! She totally knows but just doesn’t want to tell you as she knows you’ll disapprove. It’s inconceivable that someone is in a relationship for this long and doesn’t know what he does for work, especially if he is flashing the cash and eg handing over large amounts of cash rather than bank transfer etc for a holiday. Who does that?! I agree it sounds highly likely he is a criminal ?drug dealer (most drug dealers don’t take drugs themselves…) Or worse!

Daisyvodka · 13/08/2025 13:40

She knows and just isnt telling you, surely. What did she say when you said 'how do you not know what he does?'

Lafufufu · 13/08/2025 13:35

I mean there's a lot of red flags.

This one left me open mouthed

He’s Planning to put his house up for sale, but keep a portion of the land but he wants to put the land in her name

Sunaquarius · 13/08/2025 13:32

There is very obviously some dodgy money he's laundering in this scenario.

Why does he want to put land in her name of not to disassociate himself with whatever dodgy thing is going on on that land?

All very dodgy.

NuffSaidSam · 13/08/2025 13:13

She's turning a blind eye to his criminal behaviour in order to benefit financially.

Fine for her. I'd be concerned for the kids though. How old are they?

AgentJohnson · 13/08/2025 13:09

How many red flag bingo calls does she deliberately want to ignore?

This

tinytemper66 · 13/08/2025 13:05

Drug dealer

PollyBell · 13/08/2025 11:54

How many red flag bingo calls does she deliberately want to ignore?

Penelope124 · 13/08/2025 11:53

my first thought was drug dealer and that’s what the rest of us said to her but she hasn’t seen any evidence of drugs. I know she doesn’t take drugs and she said he doesn’t either.

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Penelope124 · 13/08/2025 11:52

Alwaysinamood · 13/08/2025 11:32

Definitely a drug dealer with two phones !! Or could he be a gypsy?

I did wonder this, she mentioned something about him talking to his friend on the phone and they said you’ve got some gypsy in you haven’t you…or something along those lines but she said he quickly dismissed it.

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Tablesandchairs23 · 13/08/2025 11:49

He's obviously a criminal. Has your friend not learnt anything from her last relationship. If your friend is happy to put up with it. Nothing you can do.

Cerezo · 13/08/2025 11:40

Mates rates on the cocaine he is quite obviously selling in large quantities.

BauhausOfEliott · 13/08/2025 11:37

He's a crook. It couldn't be any more obvious.

Alwaysinamood · 13/08/2025 11:32

Definitely a drug dealer with two phones !! Or could he be a gypsy?

13SixWeetabix · 13/08/2025 11:12

Wow. Either your friend is very dim, or she is not giving you the full story about Dodgy Dave.