The main suspect in a massive corruption case involving dozens of property transactions has reached a €75m out of court settlement just three days before the trial is due to begin, the Volkskrant reports on Monday.

The deal relates to five companies allied to Jan van Vlijmen, former head of the Bouwfonds commercial property development company.
Van Vlijmen will still appear in court in Haarlem on Wednesday on a personal basis, but will ‘no longer face charges for the financial advantages arising from the fraud,’ the public prosecution department told the paper.
Other deals
Last week, The Hague property developer Harry Hilders reached a €40m out of court settlement with the justice ministry and Philips pension fund in connection with the case.
Hilders, who denies corruption and bribery charges, will also carry out a 120 hour community service sentence.
Van Vlijmen’s lawyer Willem Koops said the €75m deal has been two years in the making and involves all of Van Vlijmen’s private fortune. The money will go to the public prosecution department as a fine, Philips pension fund and Bouwfonds, which lost money on the fraudulent transactions.
Twelve other suspects in the case have also reached out of court settlements totalling €3.7m and involving short community service sentences, the paper says.

Ivy

Corruption and bribery involving the directors of the Philips pension fund and project developer Bouwfonds are thought to have cost their employers a combined €250m.
The scandal came to light in 2007 when it emerged pension fund bosses had been taking bribes in return for passing on confidential information and had bought and sold property at below the market rates. The fraud had been under way since at least 1995.
The case has been nicknamed Klimop (ivy) because of the number of branches it has and how difficult it is to eradicate.
Minister
Labour and socialist MPs have asked caretaker justice minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin to explain the deals. They fear some people are escaping prison when they should be jailed.
Last December, two property developers were jailed for 16 months for money laundering and forgery, in connection with the case. They are appealing.