ARNHEM - If it were up to the Public Prosecutor's Office, 51-year-old Sjaak J. from Goch would have to serve four years in prison and would not be allowed to hold a director's position for five years. J. stood trial in Arnhem on Tuesday for large-scale bankruptcy fraud and money laundering.

According to the prosecution, J. had himself paid to take over headache BVs from directors who wanted to stay out of harm's way. He pulled what was left in the companies and then made an errand boy director under whom the business went bankrupt. Creditors could whistle for millions. Between 2010 and 2013 J. was - indirectly or not - director of 38 bv's.
The suspect also laundered large sums of money for a group of Turks, he confessed. Previously, J. also received four years and most recently 10 months in prison for fraud.

The "revolving door fraudster" confesses to the prosecution's allegations and wants to come clean, he says. The prosecution worked out the bankruptcies of seven bv's from across the country in the criminal case. In addition, the prosecution accuses him of leading a criminal organization for bankruptcy fraud and money laundering.

Other suspects, then, include two alleged associates of J., two directors who themselves largely emptied their problem CVs before dumping them with J., two fraudsters who wanted to evade taxes, a leasing company that arranged expensive cars in exchange for cash and the Turk Deniz . who laundered huge sums of money through holdings of J.

The rest of this week and next week, the other defendants will stand trial. Sentencing is expected to follow on Feb. 19.