Authorities raid home of former Damen CEO week after sanctions violation trial starts

The FIOD raided the home of Kommer Damen, former CEO of Damen Shipyards, in Noordeloos on Tuesday morning. The raid is related to a criminal investigation, a spokesperson for the FIOD, the Tax Authority’s investigative department, told Rijnmond.

The FIOD spokesperson wouldn’t say whether the raid was linked to a major criminal trial against Damen Shipyards and several of its executives involving bribery and circumventing trade sanctions against Russia, which started last week. They also declined to disclose what they seized from Kommer Damen’s home.

The 81-year-old man was the CEO of the Gorinchem-based shipbuilding group for many years. He is one of the Damen Shipyards executives being prosecuted. His son, Arnout Damen, the shipbuilder’s current CEO, is also a suspect.

The criminal trial began in the court in Zwolle last Monday with a preliminary hearing. According to the Public Prosecution Service (OM), Damen Shipyards exported ship components to Russia in violation of the sanctions imposed by the European Union after Russia invaded Ukraine. These goods and technology contributed to Russia’s military and technological enhancement, violating the sanctions imposed.

Damen Shipyards is also being prosecuted for corruption. The shipbuilder allegedly bribed officials in various countries in order to sell more ships.

During last week’s hearing, the OM revealed that two previously unidentified suspects had made plea deals with the authorities. According to Rijnmond, one of them is the company’s current marketing director, Sander van O. The OM suspects him of involvement in concealing bribery payments from the company’s records. The other suspect who made a deal is the former director of the Port Authority of Curaçao.

Damen Shipyards is the largest shipbuilder in the Netherlands. The company builds naval vessels for the Netherlands and other NATO countries, and the Dutch government considers the company to be of “national strategic importance.” A corruption conviction could have major consequences, as it would prohibit the company from taking government contracts for at least four years.

The next hearing is scheduled for December 11.