Former PVV spokesman accused of stealing €175,000 from party

Michael Heemels, former leader for the Limburg faction of the PVV and spokesperson for Geert Wilders, stole a total of 175 thousand euros from the PVV Limburg, Limburg media reports based on an investigation commissioned by the PVV. Heemels resigned in early February after NRC reported that large amounts of money was transferred to faction employee Daryl Pfoster. Heemels claimed it was regular salary payments, but Pfoster stated he never received the amount. As reason for his resignation, Heemels claimed "financial missteps" caused by "problematic alcohol- and drug use". Party leaders in Limburg are shocked by the amount stolen, L1 reports. The money was intended to support political parties and the Limburg parties demand that the PVV ensures that the money comes back. PVV leader Geert Wilders is "shocked, surprised and angry" about the affair surrounding Heemels, he previously said to Dutch newspaper AD. He stated that he never noticed signs of addiction or "illegal use of taxpayers' money" in Heemels. "What he did is obviously outrageous and totally unacceptable and I fully understand the decision of the Limburg PVV to report him to the police. There is no place in the Limburg PVV for Mr. Heemels in any capacity."