Theo Stratmann took the radio format “CtrlF” to the cover in July. Youtube/Ctrl_F; Collage: Dominik Schmitt
An episode of the Youtube format “StrgF” from July was supposed to be about “super rich and the climate”. The 18-year-old Theo Stratmann, whom “StrgF” like the other protagonists called super rich and “Rich Kid”, was particularly prominent.
But research by Business Insider raises at least considerable doubts about the fact that Theo Stratmann is really super rich and about the story of how he claims to have come to this alleged wealth. Stratmann, in turn, used his new fame after the documentary came out for dubious e-commerce coaching.
Did “CtrlF” not check sufficiently here? When asked, the Norddeutsche Rundfunk (NDR), which is responsible for the format, explained: “Not all protagonists in the film can be considered ‘super rich’. That also applies to Theo Stratmann.” But he stood out in the preliminary talk with his “pointed attitudes” to the climate – so it was above all provocative.
“Just like Can, I don’t ask Theo for his bank statements. But his lifestyle speaks for itself.” With these two sentences, the reporter of the YouTube format “CtrlF” introduces his second protagonist in a recently published documentary: 18-year-old Theo Stratmann. It also adorns the title picture of the episode of the documentary format, also called thumbnail on YouTube. With a parting in the middle and a Ralph Lauren shirt, he not only gives the perfect picture of a snob, but also delivers a pithy quote with “I don’t give a fuck about the climate”. Add in the video title: “Private jets, yachts, caviar: how do the super-rich affect the climate?” and the picture is complete. Young, ruthless super-rich. The combination apparently worked: The video currently has more than four million views.
The title and thumbnail of the YouTube video suggest: Theo Stratmann is super rich. But if you do a little research, you will mainly come across Stratmann’s calculated provocation via social media, and in the meantime dubious e-commerce coaching. Otherwise, many question marks remain about what the 18-year-old actually wants to get rich with.
Business Insider research had already raised doubts about the alleged wealth. And with it also doubts about the research of “StrgF”, which belongs to the content network Funk and produces very popular video research formats for a young target group on YouTube. Funk is financed with 45 million euros from public broadcasting.
Who is Theo Stratmann and how did he become famous?
Theo Stratmann became known through the documentary of the public service format “Strg F” entitled “Private jets, yachts, caviar: How do the super-rich influence the climate?”. In it, Stratmann plays the extravagant prat. Caviar, for example, is just a taste teaser for him. He claims that he will go to Sylt by private jet. He doesn’t reveal how he got rich. There are only vague hints: sometimes it was e-commerce, sometimes real estate or a social media agency.
The documentary – especially Stratmann – was well received by the audience. More than 4.1 million people have now seen the video. Stratmann himself also benefited from the newly gained attention. The number of his Instagram followers skyrocketed to more than 20,000. There he waters flowers with champagne or dumps it straight into the sea.
A few weeks after “Strg F” published the post, Stratmann gave another interview to “Bild”. There, too, he attracted attention again with calculated, provocative statements. “I don’t work for just any boss and I’m trapped in the matrix and then save up for a year’s vacation in Malle. I’m glad there are garbage men who throw away my shit,” he said. Or: “While all the other bums have to get up at 7 a.m., I still sleep and start my day at 12 p.m..”
Stratmann knew how to turn it into a business. And together with his friend Hergen Hincke cobbled together an e-commerce course that costs up to 1997 euros.
Lots of question marks about Stratmann’s alleged wealth
Stratmann claimed to have made his money from e-commerce — and real estate. At least that’s how “StrgF” reproduced it in the original soundtrack of the documentary. There was start-up capital “from the wealthy family home”, “in addition to a private school, a lot of travel, good food”. The reporter meets him in a restaurant at the Elbphilharmonie – and thus presents him as the perfect Hamburg snob.
However, there is no entry in the commercial register for Stratmann, and no imprint lists it. Only his buddy Hergen Hincke, who also appears in the documentary, runs online shops. There he sells back straps, giant hoodies and slippers, with which he is said to make millions in sales. Business Insider previously reported on his questionable advertising strategies.
Theo Stratmann (left) and his buddy Hergen Hincke (right) in the “CtrlF” documentary. Screenshot / CtrlF / Youtube
read too
Theo Stratmann has become known as a rowdy nouveau riche – our research shows how he cashed in with a dubious business partner
Stratmann’s story is always changing. In an e-commerce coaching he advertised, he only acts as an advertising face for the actual coach, Hergen Hincke. And in a podcast with the dubious self-proclaimed sales coach Michael Laster, he suddenly speaks of an alleged social media agency. But that’s not all: YouTubers like Torben Platzer have also investigated and now accuse him of at least dubious business practices.
In addition: According to statements by Theo Stratmann’s father Lutz Stratmann, the family is not rich, but “a completely normal middle class”, as he explained in an interview with Business Insider. Where his son wants the money from is a mystery to him. Lutz Stratmann is the former Minister for Science and Culture in Lower Saxony. However, the ex-CDU politician states that he has not had any contact with his son for several years. Theo Stratmann lived with his mother, who didn’t respond to Business Insider’s inquiry. Stratmann himself did not answer questions either.
read too
Father of supposedly “CtrlF” super rich Theo Stratmann: “It’s a mystery to me where Theo wants the money from”
Funk: “Not all protagonists in the film can be considered ‘super rich'”
The question arises: Why does “CtrlF” portray a character as super rich whose wealth appears at least dubious?
We asked Funk. The answer was provided by the Norddeutsche Rundfunk (NDR), which is responsible for the format: The documentary “deals with the thesis that people with high incomes have a higher carbon footprint than people with lower incomes.” Income”.
It is surprising, however, that one apparently has doubts about Theo Stratmann’s financial success story. “Not all of the protagonists in the film can be considered ‘super rich’,” admits the NDR. “That also applies to Theo Stratmann.” One could also say: It is quite unclear whether the “StrgF” documentation even has a word about “super rich”.
Was Funk just looking for provocative statements?
The NDR explains that Stratmann was found during a social media search, where his appearance “propagated” a rich lifestyle even then. In addition, it was stated in a preliminary discussion that Stratmann represented “his personal responsibility for the climate […] a very pointed attitude, ”said the NDR. And further: “His actual professional and family background play no role in our reporting.” Later it is said that “his account balance or that of his family are irrelevant.”
In plain language: When the documentary came out, the NDR editors didn’t know whether a protagonist who appeared prominently in the “CtrlF” documentary about “super rich” was really rich. Rather, the editors apparently assumed that the young man was not rich. Nevertheless, the provocative statements of the 18-year-old were obviously only too happy to be used, putting Stratmann’s face on the preview image of the video and captioning it “Private jets, yachts, caviar: How do the super-rich affect the climate?”.
However, the NDR emphasizes that they also “saw pictures of his flights in a private jet” and spoke to witnesses who “are not in the e-commerce or coaching business” and “confirm this impression of a rich lifestyle”. One cannot go into details for reasons of source protection.
Alleged scams? Just a side note
The apparently lenient scrutiny of Stratmann’s claims is just one of the problematic aspects of the documentary. “CtrlF” ultimately also offers another questionable protagonist a platform. According to Can Mandir, he is a self-made millionaire. Mandir also claims to have gotten rich from e-commerce. “A controversial topic that we have already reported on,” said the brief comment in the voiceover of the documentary.
May pose in front of the private jet with a gold watch in the documentary: CtrlF protagonist Can Mandir Screenshot / Youtube / CtrlF
In contrast to Stratmann, Mandir attracted attention with e-commerce coaching even before the documentary. The European consumer protection Austria therefore took him in an article about coaching scams on the internet. On September 6th, Mandir promised on Instagram stories that he would give ten people the opportunity to invest in his “ECom projects”. Minimum budget: 50,000 euros. But there should be a two to threefold return on investment – with a term of one to two years.
How did “CtrlF” deal with this in the documentary? When he was introduced, he briefly said: “Did he really make that much money with dropshipping and e-commerce? Among other things, the European Consumer Center Austria accuses him of working with scams. Can denies that.”
The NDR does not see any problems here: “It is crucial that we make backgrounds, possible conflicts of interest and loyalties or allegations that are in the room transparent. We did that extensively in the Can Mandir case,” was the response to our query.
The fact that they offered Mandir a platform and who used the private jet shoot with radio for staging purposes on Instagram (most recently in Stories on September 6, 2023) doesn’t seem to bother “CtrlF”.
“>
External content not available
Your privacy settings prevent the loading and display of all external content (e.g. graphics or tables) and social networks (e.g. Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc.). To display, please activate the settings for social networks and external content in the privacy settings .
Change privacy settings
Do you have information about Theo Stratmann or his environment? Then get in touch with our reporter Steffen Bosse ([email protected], Threema: 35JRTJNM) or Luca Schallenberger ([email protected], Threema: 3MRRX6T9).