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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to tell friend her DH is gambling again?

200 replies

TheWetBandits · 28/11/2023 12:38

This is long. Sorry! TLDR: I think I've found my friends 'DH' is gambling her money and in her name.

Background: my friend ‘Anne’ has been married to ‘Bob’ for 5 years. Their relationship has been turbulent and this has mostly circled around money. When they were first together he hid quite a large cocaine habit from her which had put him into debt. She paid this off and told him she would leave him if he continued the drugs. He quit

They were then due to get married about a decade ago and had been saving up for a wedding and flat deposit. It turned out Bob had got into more debt and actually stolen money from his work as well as spending their entire wedding and flat money. All in all this was nearly £100k and the company he worked for pressed charges and he went to prison for a short time

Anne initially left him but ended up supporting him (she was always vague about what he did with the money). While he was in prison she saved and worked 2 jobs. When he came out she took him back, he moved into the flat she’d been able to buy and they had a small wedding

They have had their ups and downs and she has several times met me in tears as he can be quite nasty to her in front of his friends and joke that he’s a kept man as she pays for everything. He has managed to find work but it’s sporadic and doesn’t pay much

For all of the reasons above, i don’t like Bob. I never have and I think he has some strange hold on Anne who I see making sacrifices and working herself to the bone for him.

Now to my issue.last week I was at their flat chatting with a cup of coffee. Bob was in the room but focused on his phone. He went into the kitchen to get more drinks and I followed as had bought round a cake so was going to cut some.

Doorbell goes and Anne gets it but shouts to Bob. He leaves his phone on the side and it’s continuously beeping with notifications. I admit I looked (but didn’t pick up or open the phone) and got the briefest of looks before he came back. All gambling websites and one transfer of funds-amounts were between £100-£350. And worst it looked like some notifications were addressed to ‘Anne’ but on his phone

I know they have joint savings and I also know Anne has been getting post that he's intercepting that she assumed was something to do with Christmas presents

So I'm putting 2+2 together and assuming that he's both rinsed their savings and potentially opened accounts in her name.

I didn't say anything and made some excuses to leave pretty soon but I know if I tell her what I saw she firstly probably won't believe me as seems blind to him. And if she does, it's going to ruin her life pretty much

YANBU you need to tell her what you saw
YABU you need to mind your business and leave them to it

OP posts:
itsmylife7 · 28/11/2023 12:41

Say nothing.

Sarvanga38 · 28/11/2023 12:43

Honestly, I'd probably tell her but fully expect her to continue with her head in the sand and probably fall out with me because of it.

Christmasisonitsway · 28/11/2023 12:44

I expect you'll be told it's none of your business but if this was me and my friend knew what was happening it be hurt they didn't tell me.

TheWetBandits · 28/11/2023 12:44

Sarvanga38 · 28/11/2023 12:43

Honestly, I'd probably tell her but fully expect her to continue with her head in the sand and probably fall out with me because of it.

This is pretty much what I'm bracing myself for. But I also know I'm one of the few friends who has stuck around and not let him get to me. I don't want to leave her without anyone to turn to when the shit hits the fan

OP posts:
MilkChocolateCookie · 28/11/2023 12:45

I would tell her OP. Just the exact facts with no judgement. Say "Apologies if I'm overstepping but I feel this is something you may want to know".

HungryandIknowit · 28/11/2023 12:45

I would tell her but expect the friendship to be over. But I would have to tell her.

TheWetBandits · 28/11/2023 12:46

Sorry I should add that as part of his sentencing he has to pay back the money he stole which is linked to my comment about her working 2 jobs and fingers to the bone. She is essentially paying this money back as he earns nearly nothing

OP posts:
divinededacende · 28/11/2023 12:53

I think I'd have to tell her. The notifications coupled with the intercepted mail might mean he's committing fraud that could ruin her financially (more than he already has). It's not like you caught him just having a flutter on the races.

On the other hand, if this did come out later, you do have deniability. This isn't a situation where she'd expect other people to have reasonably know so you could keep it yourself and fly under the radar if you think it isn't worth the hassle. Just think carefully before you decide. She might stay with him but she deserves to be in possession of all the facts. It's just a shame you're the one left in this position.

hydriotaphia · 28/11/2023 12:54

I think you have to tell her. It could ruin her life if what you suspect is happening and she doesn't find out. It won't be a fun conversation but I think it's the right thing to do.

C1N1C · 28/11/2023 12:59

Sounds like he hasn't learned and is trying to gamble his way out of debt using her money.

I'd want to know

Headband · 28/11/2023 13:01

I'd have to say something, whether she does anything about it is up to her.

Comtesse · 28/11/2023 13:01

I think Anne actually needs a new patio……

TheSeasonalNameChange · 28/11/2023 13:01

Tell her but expect the friendship to be over. You can leave the door open whilst refusing to watch this.

AgnesX · 28/11/2023 13:02

Usually I'm a bit hem/haw but for this one I'm in no doubt, tell her. She needs to know before he completely shafts her and leaves her up shit creek financially.

Junkies will do anything to feed their habit. Not to mention the fact that he's a complete shit generally.

Nopenopenopenopenopenope · 28/11/2023 13:02

I would tell her and be prepared for denial/backlash. Maybe signpost her to smart recovery friends & family as they provide support for loved ones of addicts of any kind. They do online meetings.

OhComeOnFFS · 28/11/2023 13:07

itsmylife7 · 28/11/2023 12:41

Say nothing.

Are you kidding? This is her friend who's being ripped off right, left and centre. You'd really say nothing?

ManateeFair · 28/11/2023 13:08

I would tell her, but I would also be fully prepared for her to either make excuses for him, or take it badly and accuse me of interfering (possibly out of sheer embarrassment and shame), and I would also be prepared for her to continue to let herself be walked all over by him.

She clearly knows he's a massive wrong'un - he's a cokehead, a thief and a freeloader who is also so nasty to her that he reduces her to tears on a regular basis. But she's continued to stay with him while expecting you to mop up her tears each time he's horrible. So although I would definitely tell her, I wouldn't necessarily expect things to change.

Ohtobetwentytwo · 28/11/2023 13:08

The older I get the more I decide I'm only responsible for myself. So I would tell her because I would want a friend to tel me.

If that information resulted in her falling out with me then so be it, that's her responsibility and decision.

LakeTiticaca · 28/11/2023 13:09

I would tell her asap. What she chooses to do with the information is up to her.
Perhaps one day she will wake up and smell the coffee.

TheWetBandits · 28/11/2023 13:11

You're all saying what I know is right and I need to tell her. She knows I don't like him and he's often tried to isolate from her by saying I'm jealous etc (laughable).

So I guess as she knows I don't like him she may think I'm making it up.

But as you say, I need to probably front it out and accept the consequences

OP posts:
LittleGwyneth · 28/11/2023 13:12

I have friends who saw my husband buying alcohol in the shops at weird times of day, and various other things which made it clear he was an alcoholic. I wish they'd told me before I had a baby with him.

fantasmasgoria1 · 28/11/2023 13:17

You need to tell her. She will be left with absolutely nothing if he gambles all her money away. If I were Anne I would want someone to tell me.

MilkChocolateCookie · 28/11/2023 13:18

It doesn't matter if she thinks you're making it up. Don't try to defend or justify yourself, just give her the facts. Then if she wants to she can start digging herself, and if she doesn't want to you'll still know that you did the right thing.

TwilightSkies · 28/11/2023 13:23

Yeah I’d tell her, 100%. She might not WANT to believe it but deep down she’ll know it’s true and that she can’t trust him.

What she does with the info is up to her.

MadeForThis · 28/11/2023 13:30

Tell her. It's up to her what she does with the information. But your conscience is clear.

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