Jurgen L. from Geleen and Maasmechelen resident Dimitri W. were given unconditional prison sentences of four and two years respectively on Tuesday for stamp fraud.
The two childhood friends were on trial along with five other suspects for a major stamp fraud case.
False seals
They allegedly printed counterfeit stamps. Justice suspects the duo of fraud, embezzlement, forgery and money laundering.
Penalties
Justice suspects the other five suspects of complicity. If it were up to the prosecution, Renate L., the sister of the Geleen suspect, would therefore have to spend a year in jail. Jurgen L.'s ex-wife was given an 18-month prison sentence. His mother received a 120-hour community service sentence, as did Johannes R.
Lies
W. and L. denied Tuesday in the Maastricht District Court that they had committed any crimes. One of the five other suspects briefly left the room Tuesday morning because she could no longer take the "lies.
Biggest scam ever
The case came to light in 2011. PostNL subsequently had the guilder stamp declared invalid in 2013. This took a while because criminal proceedings were not immediately initiated. This is the largest stamp scam ever discovered in our country.
Riddle
According to the prosecutor, eight types of stamps were involved. PostNL intercepted 200,000 counterfeit stamps at the time. "We will never know how many stamps were printed. It may have been millions," the prosecutor said.
Business as usual
The prosecutor believes that L. did plenty of trading in the counterfeit stamps. In addition, he would also have played an important role in the printing of the stamps. As for his comrade, there is too little evidence that he was closely involved in the printing process. However, according to the officer, he would have made ample use of the fake stamps. "That was business as usual," he said.
Organization
Jurgen L. also allegedly involved his sister in the affair, the prosecutor said. His ex-wife was also aware of his practices. According to the public prosecutor, the Geleen man enlisted his family and best friend in the large-scale stamp fraud. In this way, he formed a criminal organization.
Penalty
Because the offenses dated back to 2011, L. and W. received a 30 percent reduction in sentence.
2.6 million euros
The two men were previously ordered in civil proceedings to pay compensation of 2.6 million euros to PostNL as an advance payment of damages. L. and W. in turn deny having made false stamps. PostNL and the judiciary do not believe any of this.
It is as yet unclear when the judge will rule. Next week, the lawyers will still be speaking.
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