Ronald Plasterk not prosecuted over issues with biotech company's annual reports

The Public Prosecution Service (OM) will not prosecute former Prime Minister-hopeful Ronald Plasterk’s biotech startup for issues with its annual reports. There are “no grounds for the time being” to initiate a criminal investigation against companies, the OM said on Wednesday.

In May, lawyer Henri Sarolea reported to the police that the company, which focuses on developing cancer vaccines, had committed economic crimes surrounding preparing and filing annual reports, including that the company filed its annual figures too late, and with incorrect data. Saroela claimed that Plasterk incorrectly listed the pharmaceutical company as a “micro-enterprise” in 2022 and listed board members who had not yet taken office.

The OM studied the allegations and the companies’ annual accounts and tax returns. It found that several annual accounts were indeed filed too late, which is an economic offense. “The Economic Enforcement Bureau (BEH) of the Tax Authorities can draw up an official report,” the OM said on Wednesday. If the BEH does so, the OM can impose a fine or take the case to court. It has forwarded the case to the BEH for the next steps.

The OM found no convincing evidence that the annual reports contained incorrect information. “In this area, too, the tax returns will be forwarded to the Tax Authority, which may decide to conduct further investigation. The Tax Authority can still report the case for criminal investigation.”

Plasterk sold the company to the pharmaceutical company CureVac in 2022 for 32 million euros.