Property abroad, but still claiming welfare

A number of immigrants claiming welfare benefits (bijstand) have property, land or businesses in another country, according to social affairs ministry figures, quoted in the Telegraaf.


The ministry looked into 945 cases with the help of officials in Spain, Turkey, Suriname and Morocco and took sanctions against claimants in 10% of them.
Officials picked which cases to investigate on the basis of long foreign trips and phone calls, news agency Novum said.
One couple which had claimed €250,000 in benefits had an apartment complex in Turkey, while another had nine apartments, three businesses and a large quantity of land, Novum said.
The paper did not say what proportion of ethnic Dutch claimants were found to have committed fraud when making welfare claims.

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