World
Former Dutch supermarket boss to face corruption charges
Dutch law officials announced Tuesday they are prosecuting the former chief executive of the country’s second-larget supermarket chain Jumbo on corruption and forgery charges.
Frits van Eerd was questioned in 2022 following police raids on premises around the Netherlands including his own home leading to the arrest of nine people in a money laundering probe.
Van Eerd resigned last year after temporarily stepping down in the wake of the September 2022 raids.
A 57-year-old man “is being prosecuted for corruption and forgery,” the Public Prosecution Service said.
“The investigation is still ongoing. He may also be prosecuted for money laundering,” the OM added in a statement, without referring to Van Eerd by name.
Northern-Netherlands public prosecution spokeswoman Melanie Kompier however confirmed to AFP that Van Eerd was the suspect referred to in the press release.
Prosecutors also laid tax fraud, corruption and forgery charges against another main suspect in the case, identified by Dutch media only as “Theo E”.
Dutch public broadcaster NOS said Theo E., 59, was a former motocross rider and car dealer living near the northern Dutch city of Assen.
Van Eerd was intensely involved in motor sport during his time as Jumbo chief executive, the NOS added.
“For example, Jumbo was the first sponsor of Formula One world champion Max Verstappen, when Verstappen had just switched from karting to motor racing,” the NOS said.
Van Eerd’s lawyers told Dutch daily Het Financieele Dagblad their client denied the allegations, calling prosecutors’ suspicion of corruption “far-fetched”.
Van Eerd and Theo E. were set to appear in a special court dealing with fraud in mid-September.
Jumbo in reaction said it has “taken notice” that Van Eerd will be summoned on the charges.
“This case concerns Frits van Eerd personally. Frits has not been actively involved in the management of Jumbo since September 2022,” the food giant said in a statement.
“This decision by the Public Prosecution Service therefore has no consequences for the business operations of our company,” Jumbo said.
jhe/cw
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
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