Prosecutors link Amsterdam official to 95 violent crimes, including attempted murders
A municipal employee from Amsterdam has been linked to at least 95 violent incidents across the Netherlands, prosecutors said during a preliminary hearing against the 57-year-old man and two co-defendants.
According to the Public Prosecution Service (OM), the suspect, identified as Jim B., is accused of corruption and complicity in acts of violence. The violent incidents included 36 explosions, 14 threatening or bullet-laced letters, eight shootings at homes, two attempted murders or manslaughters, and one kidnapping, according to Dutch broadcaster NH. The attacks occurred in Apeldoorn, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Leiden, Valkenburg, and Purmerend.
Prosecutors said he provided confidential personal data to two alleged “information brokers,” Rishi K., 41, and Gillian H., 34, who then passed the information to criminals responsible for carrying out attacks and explosions. All the violent incidents reportedly happened shortly after B. shared confidential information with the "brokers." In 14 cases, the attacks reportedly took place within a single day of him sending the data, leading prosecutors to conclude that “coincidence can be ruled out.”
Jim B., a resident of Almere, was arrested in May. He worked in the debt collection department of the Amsterdam municipality, which gave him access to address records, vehicle registration data, and other resident information.
Although prosecutors said none of the three suspects directly participated in the violence, they argued the men knew what the data would be used for. B. allegedly communicated frequently with K. via Privnote, an encrypted app for exchanging confidential messages.
The OM said determining how often B. accessed municipal databases is difficult, but from August 2023, he reportedly searched the systems about 400 times a month, including late at night, on weekends, and during vacations.
B.’s lawyer said her client “made mistakes under pressure from a group,” but prosecutors said there is no evidence to support that claim. Investigators found that B. received cash payments and that money was also regularly transferred to a bank account.
The court ordered that all three suspects remain in pretrial detention. The next preliminary hearing is scheduled for January 14.
