‘Former agriculture minister Veerman earns tons from dubious land trade’ | Interior

Private individuals bought pieces of Veerman agricultural land near Nieuw-Beijerland through an intermediary for amounts that are ten times higher than the market value. They were told that there was a ‘very high chance’ that the agricultural land would quickly become building land, and would therefore increase in value considerably. However, this was not the case, according to inquiries at the municipality. Buyers were thus duped for tens of thousands of euros, while both Veerman and the intermediary trader earned a lot of money.

Veerman was Minister of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries on behalf of the CDA between 2002 and 2007. He then became chairman of Natuurmonumenten, among other things. He is also an arable farmer in the Hoeksche Waard, the municipality in which Nieuw-Beijerland is located.

Farmer Joop Langelaan was called at the end of last year by the middleman, JE Vastgoed, with ‘an offer that could hardly be refused’, he tells RTL. It seemed to him a good investment for his old age, because he has not accrued a pension. He feels cheated by the former minister and the land dealer. “I might as well have thrown that money in the ditch. Because I’m so honest myself, you don’t expect someone else to do something like that. For money, money, money, only money. So messed up.”

The trade in small pieces of land, as Veerman does, is not prohibited, but it is controversial. A judge once called such a course of action ‘wind trading’. In a comment to RTL News Veerman states that, based on the price he received from the middleman, his family business ‘shouldn’t have suspected any unfair trading practices’. “The management of CP Veerman Holding BV was and is not aware of the way in which JE Vastgoed BV approaches a party (…) We have not had any indication of ‘fraud’ or other indecent acts.”