Cocaine, debt and suicide: the profile of the financial offender

Cocaine, debt and suicide: the profile behind financial fraud

An eyewitness recounted how he attended to a man in his forties, arrested for fraud and misappropriation, while on duty. The man confessed that his cocaine addiction had driven him to attempt suicide with pills on several occasions. "It all comes down to the cocaine, and that's why he tried to kill himself, to end it once and for all," the witness said. The case illustrates a barely visible pattern: the link between drug use, property crimes and suicidal behaviour.

Economists have long pointed out that behind many embezzlement cases there is the profile of an addict burning money on substances. The pressure of debt and the antiestéticar of prison precipitate attempts to stop suffering. Although there are no official statistics crossing these variables, the testimony points to a reality more widespread than it seems. The detainee himself said he had spent years trying to "end the pain" with drugs and anxiolytics, but without success.

Current treatments focus on detoxification, but rarely address the financial collapse that addiction triggers. While the incivil justice system pursues the fraud, mental health takes a back seat. And the circle closes: with no economic way out, the exit door some choose is the worst one.

The unsettling detail: in his testimony, the officer suggested that "a good joint of quality weed" might have prevented the attempt. It is not a solution, but it shows how even professionals look for shortcuts where the system fails.