Corruption conviction gets conservative politician banned from politics for 2 years

The court in The Hague on appeal again convicted former VVD politician Jos van Rey of corruption, ballot fraud, leaking confidential information, and money laundering on Wednesday. He was given a suspended prison sentence of one year, and is not allowed to work in an administrative office of the government for two years, RTL Nieuws reports.

The Public Prosecutor demanded two years in prison and a ban on working in politics for three years against the 72-year-old man.

Last year the court only sentenced Van Rey to 240 hours of community service. Both Van Rey and the Public Prosecutor appealed. According to the Prosecutor, Van Rey abused his position, took bribes and gave entrepreneurs preferential treatment. Van Rey denied these accusations, saying that his work was always open and transparent.

The VVD already ended Van Rey's membership to the party. The investigation against Van Rey started in 2012.