Prosecutors recommend 2 years in prison against former Jumbo CEO for fraud accusations

The Public Prosecution Service (OM) has recommended a prison sentence of two years, with eight months conditionally suspended, against former Jumbo CEO Frits van Eerd. Prosecutors claim that he is guilty of money laundering, forgery, and accepting bribes.

“For a long time, he has abused his position within the Jumbo group,” the prosecutor said. In addition to the financial damage, the OM has also blamed him for the damage to Jumbo’s reputation that Van Eerd caused. The OM also accused Van Eerd of apparently instructing friends and acquaintances to give unreliable witness statements.

Van Eerd was arrested in September 2022 and was detained for several days, after which he resigned as Jumbo’s CEO. It was part of an investigation surrounding Theo E., who is accused of tax fraud, bribery, and forgery. Four years in prison were recommended against him.

During a search of Van Eerd’s house and workplace, the FIOD and the OM found around 450,000 euros in cash that was stashed in places like the refrigerator. The OM has accused Van Eerd of having laundered a large part of the money. The prosecutors do not currently know the exact illegal source of the money.

However, the leading prosecutor has said that the source is not needed to prove money laundering. The many 200 and 500 euros cash notes that were stashed is a significant clue that indicates money laundering, the prosecutor added.

Witness statements that were meant to counter the money laundering suspicions were called unreliable by the prosecutor, for example, because the individuals involved frequently adjusted the amounts mentioned. In addition, intercepted conversations caught E. saying that Van Eerd was a “heavy money launderer.”

The OM stated that it is remarkable in any sense that Van Eerd continued to associate with E., who was convicted of money laundering in 2014. This was against the wishes of Jumbo and was therefore carefully kept secret, according to the prosecution.

Van Eerd also received gifts in exchange for sponsoring motor racing teams. These were deals that E. had arranged, the OM said. The amount of sponsorship money from Jumbo listed on the invoices did not fully go to the sponsored teams.

According to the Public Prosecution Service, part of the Jumbo money ended up back with Van Eerd in the form of, for example, luxury toolboxes or a heavily discounted trailer. E. is also said to have pocketed part of the sponsorship funds himself.

E. and Van Eerd have both denied the accusations. “I find it incomprehensible. I have not been bribed at all,” he said on Monday in the court in Groningen.

“If I had known that I would have to explain in court why I hid money in the refrigerator, then I obviously would not have done it. I do not have a good explanation for it. I did it to keep the money spread out. It is definitely not any criminal money, completely legal,” he said.

E. also denied bribing Van Eerd during the start of the hearing. “I think he cannot be bribed.”

When asked why Van Eerd remained in contact with E. after his arrest in 2014. “Knowing what I know now, I should never have done that. But I was curious what was going on and gave him the benefit of the doubt. I have bought private items from him since 2014, but he was not a business associate of Jumbo.”