Fmr footballer Clarence Seedorf among first Dutch on Panama Papers

Former football player Clarence Seedorf is one of hundreds of Dutch names mentioned in the so-called Panama Papers - 11.5 million documents, spreadsheets, emails and other leaked files that form the basis of a worldwide investigation into tax evasion. Trouw, one of two Dutch newspapers that form part of the investigation, revealed the first Dutch names in the Papers on Tuesday. Other Dutch names in the Panama Papers include Rathan Chadra, founder of Mess, Jaap van Oosterom, founder of automation company Volmac which later became Capgemini, and Bram van der Kolk, one of those behind the company Magaupload from Kim Dotcom. According to the newspaper, Clarence Seedorf is mentioned in the documents via the sponsorship rights of his former racing team Seedorf Racing. The company signed a sponsorship contract with Image Building Ltd, founded in the Virgin Islands, though via a detour the ultimate sponsor is actually Italian jeweler Morellato. The contract with Image Building Ltd involves about 600 thousand euros. But the contract was resold several times and eventually reached a value of 3 million euros. Seedorf only received 600 thousand euros, on which he paid taxes. What happened to the remaining 2.4 million is unclear. Seedorf would not comment on the matter, according to the newspaper. Here follows a list of other Dutch mentioned in the Panama Papers:

1. Jos van der Vorm - member of the Tax Division of the Supreme Court, the Netherlands highest court, between 1979 and 1986
2. Rattan Chada - founder of fashion chain Mexx and active in hotel chain CitizenM
3. Joop van Oosterom - billionaire and founder of automation company Volmac, which later merged with Capgemini
4. Bernard Stuivinga - chairman of the Supervisory Board of trading company Acomo and former partner at law firm Greenbert Traurig
5. Bravm van der Kolk, also known as Bramos - one of the driving forces behind company Megaupload of Kim Dotcom
6. John Bredenkamp - born in South Africa, but got Dutch nationality while working at Groningen tobacco comopany Koniklijke Niemeyer. Still active in the tobacco world
7. Robert van de R. - one of the biggest bankruptcy-fraud criminals in the Netherlands
8. Toine Manders - former chairman of the Libetarische Partij. Not related to the leader of 50Plus

There are hundreds of Dutch names mentioned in the Panama Papers. More names are expected to be revealed during the course of the week.