Amsterdam officials suspected of corruption

At least four employees of the Amsterdam municipality were or will be dismissed because they are suspected of fraud involving several million euros, Mayor Eberhard van der Laan wrote in a letter to the Amsterdam city council on Tuesday. A procedure for dismissal is underway, ANP reports. Another five officials were also suspended on suspicion of official corruption. Investigation by the Integrity Bureau revealed that officials working at the Department of Real Estate abused their position for years. The gave contracts at excessively high amounts to companies that were not suited to the tasks and operate in other industries. The municipality will try to recover the lost money from the suspects and businesses involved, Van der Laan wrote. A spokesperson for the municipality told ANP that the fraud involves "several million euros". "In two cases charges were pressed and the criminal investigation will probably be completed after the summer." Another fraud case is also underway, though this one the municipality left to the administrative court. An official who was in charge of fleet management is also under investigation. He was fired and the municipality seized some of his property and bank accounts.