Twelve suspects will stand trial tomorrow in the major real estate fraud and money laundering case Landlord. With Kerkrade resident Joep J as the undisputed protagonist.
"The case against Joep J. is of national importance," VVD MP Fred Teeven declared to this newspaper two years ago. And the investigation, according to the current State Secretary of Justice, was especially not allowed to fail. The investigation into Joep J.(60) is the first major achievement of the - now nationally copied - operation 'Clean Hands' that investigative services, tax authorities and municipalities in South Limburg started a few years ago. The goal: to prevent the underworld from using the legal upper world to launder criminal money through real estate trading, for example. On June 16, 2009, the investigation into Joep J.-christened Landlord-came to public attention. Two hundred investigating officers raided nineteen properties, almost all owned by J., his wife and three children. In August 2009, Landlord also became nationally known after the mega seizure that the Justice Department had placed on all 134 properties and pieces of land belonging to the J. family with a combined tax value of 16 million euros.
J. built up his real estate empire partly by illegal means, the public prosecutor, tax authorities and investigative agencies believe. Between 1980 and 2009, the J.'s bought more than 200 homes. Many of them at foreclosure auctions and, according to authorities, often at far too low prices. This was allegedly the result of prohibited price fixing. The tax authorities previously sent the family an additional tax assessment of 6 million euros and announced another such measure. Almost three years after the raid, the trial begins.Of the 68 suspects initially, 12 will stand trial tomorrow. Due to the large workload, the prosecution has had to make choices. Joep J. is the absolute prime suspect. According to the prosecution, he has laundered 2.2 million euros worth of criminal money.
Kerkrade property dealer Joep J. to stand trial tomorrow
He would have had false (too low) purchase prices recorded in notarial deeds. Also properties bought with criminal money were in the names of family members so it would not be visible who really was the owner,says the Public Prosecutor. J. allegedly promised sellers of properties to pay part of the purchase price in cash. A promise he did not keep. The Kerkrade man is also alleged to have committed tax fraud for a ton of money and to have obtained a mortgage loan by means of false rental agreements. J.'s lawyer Theo Hiddema is not impressed by the summons. "The amounts are large, the prosecution's thoughts small," he said. Lawyers Suzanne Kurvers and Justus Faber, who are assisting J.'s wife and a daughter, even think their clients should not be prosecuted at all. They are suspected of money laundering and receiving stolen goods. "There were properties in their names, but they did not know that there would be something with them," the lawyers let it be known. They are challenging the summons. Two more family members and seven others involved must appear tomorrow.
The prosecution has yet to decide on the prosecution of other suspects. Also from the upper world. Like a real estate agent from Kerkrade, a real estate couple from Brunssum and the notary J. van T. from Kerkrade. This should send a clear signal to brokers, lawyers, banks and notaries: do not cooperate in crimes. Therein lies the "national interest" Teeven spoke of.
