Ex-Amsterdam court worker charged with selling data, extortion linked to crime

A former Amsterdam court employee, Sana C., is facing charges for selling personal data to criminals and extortion, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) announced Monday during a court hearing in Zwolle. The woman, from Woerden, appeared publicly for the first time.

During the initial hearing, the prosecutor revealed that the National Police’s Internal Investigations Department (rijksrecherche) had identified 270 deposits totaling 92,920 euros in the suspect’s bank account. “It has since become clear that the suspect received these amounts by means of extortion.”

The suspect was arrested in March on suspicion of violating confidentiality obligations and computer intrusion. According to the Public Prosecution Service, the personal data she sold for prices ranging from 500 to 750 euros were used to commit violent crimes, including shootings in The Hague and Waalwijk, and possibly for planning a murder.

The court also learned that Sana C. had falsified her résumé by claiming completed economics degrees, which she had not earned.

The Zwolle court, handling the case, ruled that C. must remain in custody for an additional three months until the next hearing on September 16. The court cited a high risk of reoffending, partly due to C.’s gambling addiction.

The case came to light last August when police found an envelope bearing the Amsterdam court logo inside a sofa lining during an unrelated investigation. The envelope contained personal data of six members of one family. Notably, C. had cut out her own data from this printout, the prosecutor said. Further personal data were found in C.’s home and car.

C. declined to respond to the charges Monday but called the accusations “serious.” She said she had not considered the potential consequences. The prosecutor said C. was assisted by her niece, whom C. identified as the person who connected her to the man receiving the personal data. The Public Prosecution Service suspects this man of multiple explosions and arson attacks.