In the trial against former Jumbo CEO Frits van Eerd (58), the court imposed 3.5 years in prison for car dealer Theo E. from others (61). He has been convicted of bribing Van Eerd and forgery, among other things.
The former Jumbo CEO was imposed for two years in prison. Just like Theo E., he is suspected of forgery and of bribery and money laundering between 2017 and 2022. Van Eerd was present at the ruling, E. not.
The two have known each other for more than twenty years through motorsport. The men are said to have laundered criminal money through sponsor contracts from Jumbo with motorsport teams from Theo E. E. E. also sold things, such as cars and motorbikes, to Van Eerd for a lower amount in exchange for sponsor contracts. He would like to spawn from Eerd to get a preferred treatment and to win sponsor contracts.
The E. car company was used for money laundering. In another lawsuit in 2017, the names of E. and Van Eerd also emerged, but only E. was convicted in that case.
The Van Eerd family (shareholders of the Jumbo group) then wanted the CEO that the CEO broke his contacts with the Drenthe car dealer. That didn’t happen.
It eventually led to a search of the home and workplace of Van Eerd in Heeswijk-Dinther in Brabant in 2022. After his arrest, the CEO of the Brabant family business returned. The police found more than 427,000 euros in cash in notes of, among other things, two hundred and five hundred euros in books and in the workshop of Van Eerd. The money was in plastic bags from the Jumbo, among others.
The money was not given to the tax authorities. Van Eerd denies that this money comes from crime. “I am a collector and collected cross bikes. I sold parts legally.”
The two would have been sophisticated in the preparation of false invoices. Also, among other things, because Van Eerd’s family was not allowed to find out that the two were still acting.
Theo E. knew this and responded to this, according to the court. Van Eerd then ensured that sponsor deals ended up in the Jumbo administration. “He has enriched himself with money and things at the expense of Jumbo.” The court spoke of “serious undermining offenses” committed by someone with an “exemplary function.”
Theo E. denies that he has bribed the former CEO. He did recognize that he made mistakes in his business administration. Van Eerd also denies everything.
However, the court states that in many cases there is a causal link between the gifts and the goods that E. has delivered and the consideration he received from Van Eerd in the form of a sponsorship deal. The court spoke of a “long -term pattern” and that E. had earned “a lot” from the bribery.
In addition to the bribery of Van Eerd, E. is also convicted of forgery. In addition to the falsification of invoices, he would have conducted a defective business administration. He also discovered taxes and committed mortgage fraud.
The court said that he committed the facts in a context of heavy organized crime. “The suspect has a persistent pro-criminal attitude and only has his own gain as a motivation.” In addition to the prison sentence, he may no longer be a director of a company or foundation for nine years and his judgment is made public at the Chamber of Commerce.
The Public Prosecution Service had previously demanded a four -year prison sentence against E., according to the OM, he would not be allowed to perform a board position for nine years and the judgment should be made public at the Chamber of Commerce. A two -year prison sentence was demanded against Van Eerd, of which eight months were conditional.