VVD expels Soymaya Sahla for "swindling money" from elderly party member

The VVD has terminated the party membership of former terrorist and deradicalization expert Soymaya Sahla following an article by HP/De Tijd in which the family of former VVD leader Frits Bolkestein accused her of “swindling money” from the elderly and ill man.

According to Bolkestein’s family, Sahla scammed around 100,000 euros from the elderly man over three years. Sahla denied to HP/De Tijd that she took advantage of Bolkestein, who was her mentor.

“The reason for the termination is the recently published article by HP/De Tijd in which the Bolkestein family reports that Mrs. Sahla has swindled large amounts of money from our honorary member Frits Bolkestein during a vulnerable period,” the VVD said in a statement. “We have contacted the family and determined the accuracy of the article.”

According to Bolkestein’s family, Sahla convinced Frits Bolkestein to pay for her apartment and give her a “living allowance” and other large amounts. There were also “unexplained” cash withdraws with Bolkestein’s debit card, the family told HP De Tijd.

Sahla told HP/De Tijd that Bolkestein offered to pay for her Ph.D. and that she never took advantage of her mentor. “Frits said very clearly: I will finance that,” she told the magazine.

Andreas Kinneging, the professor under whom Sahla obtained her Ph.D., confirmed that. “It was completely clear that he paid for her and that he did so of his own free will because he wanted to support her,” the professor said.

Sahla was previously convicted of terrorist crimes for her membership in the terrorist organization De Hofstadgroep. Two years ago, PVV leader Geert Wilders lashed out at the VVD in a debate over Sahla’s role in the party as an advisor in the field of terrorism. Wilders was furious about this, partly because the Hofstadgroep had him on a death list.

“As a party, we gave Ms. Sahla a second change, which was not always easy given her conviction for terrorism,” VVD chairman Eric Wetzels said in the statement regarding the termination of Sahla’s membership. “In our view, she has squandered that second chance in a morally extremely reprehensible manner. That is why there is no longer a place for her in our party.”