A man known as the ‘monster of Amsterdam’ has appeared in court accused of poisoning two men in order to claim their life insurance.

George H, 25, is also said to have faked his own death twice, once in his native Dominican Republic in 2009 and a second time in 2013 after arriving in the Netherlands, AT5 reports. Both times the life insurance was claimed, for €60,000 and €500,000 respectively. It is not known if the money was paid.

H is accused of murdering 22-year-old Alan Perez and 24-year-old Alfredo Fernandez, Dominican men who lived in Amsterdam, shortly after arranging life insurance policies for them. The men are said to have been poisoned with succinylcholine, a muscle relaxant that is hard to trace in the bloodstream.

He gained the nickname ‘the monster of Amsterdam’ within the city’s Dominican community after the deaths came to light. Police began an investigation after one of the insurers raised concerns.

H’s lawyer, Manon Aalmoes, has asked for the court to rule there is no case to answer because of serious flaws in the investigation and the questioning of witnesses.