Community money that could have been spent on youth care, education, libraries, or healthcare has ended up in the pockets of suspects, said the public prosecutor today in her indictment. A 53-year-old man from The Hague is on trial for fraud and forgery. The Public Prosecution Service demanded 42 months in prison.
On February 20, 2020, the investigation began when the municipality of The Hague filed a complaint with the police. Internal research revealed that an employee from the Business Operations Expertise Center approved false invoices. When the National Criminal Investigation Service examined the case, it became clear that from November 2013 to December 2019, as many as 88 invoices were approved by the employee. The civil servant, together with his co-defendants, ensured that invoices were paid for which no services had ever been provided by the municipality.
In total, nearly 1.8 million euros were paid to twelve companies for which no work was performed. These companies were, with one exception, all established for the purpose of this fraud. According to the Public Prosecution Service, the suspect worked closely with three co-defendants. These defendants are also on trial for fraud and money laundering.
Community Money
The Public Prosecution Service considers it serious that the suspects used community money. Money that could have been spent on, for example, education or healthcare. The suspects have shamefully enriched themselves with money intended for government expenditures, while two of the four suspects were also paid by the government as civil servants.
Demand
In addition to a prison sentence of 42 months, the Public Prosecution Service demands that the main suspect be held liable for paying compensation to the municipality, namely the full amount of nearly 1.8 million euros. He should also be disqualified from being a civil servant.
The Public Prosecution Service demanded a prison sentence of 16 months against the co-defendant, a 59-year-old man from Zoetermeer, who is suspected of fraud. A 60-year-old man from The Hague, suspected of money laundering and fraud, heard a demand of 22 months against him.
Against a 45-year-old woman from The Hague, the public prosecutor demanded a community service of 180 hours and a conditional prison sentence of six months with a probation period of two years. This woman is only suspected of money laundering.