Former Jumbo boss to be prosecuted for money laundering

The Public Prosecution Service (OM) has added money laundering to the charges against Frits van Eerd, sources close to the investigation told the Financieele Dagblad. The former director of the supermarket chain Jumbo is already accused of corruption and forgery. The criminal case against him will start in two weeks with a preliminary hearing in the Assen court.

The OM will present the new charge against Van Eerd during the hearing, FD’s sources said. Van Eerd’s lawyer, Robert Jonk, told the newspaper that he would not “confirm or deny” that his client is now also suspected of money laundering. Habitual money laundering carries a maximum sentence of eight years in prison.

The authorities raided Van Eerd’s home in Heeswijk-Dinther, Noord-Brabant, in September 2022. He allegedly arranged sponsorship contracts in motocross for his co-suspect Theo E. in exchange for goods delivered at little to no cost. Van Eerd stepped down as CEO of Jumbo due to the criminal investigation against him but denied the allegations.

In April, the OM announced it would prosecute Van Eerd for corruption (non-official bribery) and forgery. At the time, the OM said it was still investigating a possible money laundering charge.

According to FD, the money laundering charge stems from a massive 446,072.60 euros in cash the authorities found in a safe in Van Eerd’s bedroom, in a bag in his car, and in a safe in a workshop on the Jumbo premises during their raids in September 2022. Van Eerd’s lawyer previously told FD that the money had a legal origin. “It concerned relations of the client who bought motorcycles and cars from him and paid cash for them,” Jonk told the newspaper.