More Dutch connections to FIFA scandal uncovered
Two of the suspicious sports marketing companies involved in the FIFA scandal has been connected to a Dutch letterbox company, which on paper is run by a 32 year old man from Geldrop.
This is according to research done by Dutch newspaper AD. The newspaper's research found that Dutch company Torneos & Traffic Sports Marketing BV appears to be linked to two suspected South American sports marketing agencies. The FBI believes that these agencies bribed FIFA officials in order to win lucrative TV rights for football tournaments.
Torneos & Traffic Sports Marketing BV has a mailing address in Scheveningen, in an anonymous office building on Dr. Lelykade that conceals no less than 75 international companies. According to the AD, most of these companies exist only on paper and serve as a transit point for funds to tax friendly countries.
Torneos & Traffic Sports Marketing BV is owned by a holding company in Cyprus. The company employs zero employees and one independent director - 32 year old Dutchman Maarten van Genuchten. He was registered as director on October 1st, 2014. In 2013 a capital of more than 2 million euros was parked in the company.
The AD's research into Van Genucthen found that he was born in Geldrop. Several years ago he and a friend formed a cabaret duo in Amsterdam. In 2014 he married an Argentinian woman and settled in the country. According to the resume on his LinkedIn page, he worked as a freelance translator in the student city of Cordoba and later became a manager at a translation agency. His position as director of Torneos & Traffic is not mentioned at all.
The newspaper made contact with Van Genuchten on Skype, but he refused to give any comment on his connection with the sports marketing agencies. The Public Prosecutors in both New York and the Netherlands also refused to comment.