Porn and groceries: school principal's embezzlement detailed

The Supervisory Board of the Stichting Primair Onderwijz (Foundation Primary Education) in Zundert (Spoz) are going to the police today to press charges of embezzlement against its director, the Volkskrant reports. 

According to the newspaper, the director, who was suspended in November, spent an estimated 200 thousand euros on the foundations bank cards for buying things for himself.

The suspected fraud was discovered by an external financial controller who noticed that the administrative office's expenses were significantly higher than those of other similar organizations. Upon investigation she discovered a series of questionable purchases that the director could not explain sensibly.

According to attorney Janet Ranke, who is assisting the Supervisory board, the foundation's money was spent in Albert Heijn and Jumbo supermarkets, outfitters, perfumery businesses, a jeweler, home furnishing shops, garden centers and even at a sex cinema. She states that the director put the receipts in an envelope and handed it over to the administration office, but the envelope was never opened. "He also cut off all the receipts, so that you could only see the amount, not what was bought." the lawyer said to the Volkskrant.

On Tuesday the Supervisory Board demanded the termination of the director's employment contract at the cantonal court. The director denies that he embezzled money and is fighting his dismissal.