The Public Prosecution Service (OM) accuses a 34-year-old man from Winschoten that he has defrauded sixteen victims in the three Northern provinces for almost a quarter of a million. The man allegedly pretended to be a contractor. He offered his services on the Internet, but in the end delivered nothing.
This came to the fore in court today during a short, non-substantive hearing.
Interested parties who wanted to have something renovated contacted the man. Jobs were discussed extensively with the ‘contractor’. When it came to an agreement for the renovation, he had his customers make a down payment for building materials.
The amounts for the down payments ran into tens of thousands of euros for some victims. After the deposits, he allegedly did not purchase any materials or perform any services. He wouldn’t have spoken again.
The police received several reports of victims from, among others, Tynaarlo, Westdorp, Groningen, Veendam and Delfzijl, and also from the Frisian Twijslerheide and Tzum. The man turned out to have fled to Belgium with his family. He has been in jail since January.
One victim stated today, outside the hearing doors, that the man initially appeared reliable and professional. He declined to name the amount he would have been scammed for. “But I want everything back,” he said.
Similar facts are on his criminal record. He is also no stranger to TV. Alberto Stegeman’s program paid attention to the alleged scammer twice.
De Winschoter will remain in prison until his criminal case is substantive, that is on October 28.