Property tycoon demands belongings back

Thursday 14 January 2010

Property tycoon Jan-Dirk Paarlberg is going to court in Utrecht on Thursday in an effort to recover his belongings, art collection and car seized by justice ministry officials earlier this week even though he has not been convicted of a crime.

Property in the Netherlands, France, Portugal and the Dutch Antilles islands has also been sequestered, the public prosecution departments said in a statement.

According to news agency ANP, the raids early this week were carried out to show that crime does not pay and to prevent the property investor hiding his assets.

Last year, Amsterdam district court ruled that gangland boss Willem Holleeder had managed to launder some €17m earned from his blackmail activities through Paarlberg.

Paarlberg's lawyer Bénédicte Ficq said the case is 'extremely bizarre'. Paarlberg should first have his day in court so he can defend himself against the accusations, Ficq told reporters. The case against Paarlberg will begin next week.

© DutchNews.nl

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