The Public Prosecution Service is demanding prison sentences against the escaped Brabant real estate magnate Roger Lips and his wife for million-dollar fraud in one of the largest bankruptcies in the Netherlands. A fleet of luxury cars was seized in this case.
by Joost van der Wegen
Image: suspected real estate magnate Roger Lips
Responsible
On Thursday, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) demanded prison sentences against the fled real estate magnate Roger Lips and his wife, who live in Dubai. ‘After investigation, the Public Prosecution Service has found that both suspects are criminally liable for large-scale bankruptcy fraud and money laundering, in particular in the period 2011-2014.’
They deliberately withdrew goods from the group when it went bankrupt, the Public Prosecution Service states. ‘In doing so, they have fraudulently shortened the rights of other creditors, as it is legally known. The demise of the group led to a bankruptcy deficit of at least 320 million euros, making it one of the largest bankruptcies in the Netherlands.’
Roger Lips is known for the failed real estate project The Wall near the A2 near Utrecht, which almost caused the SNS bank to collapse. As a result, Lips went bankrupt in 2013. The curators then want to take him hostage because he does not cooperate in providing information, but then he flees to Dubai. He believes that he is innocent and is being used as a ‘head of the bunch’ to get the banks into trouble.
Porsches
Items have been seized from the suspect, the justice department said: a fleet of vehicles with a value of 2 million euros (consisting of 4 Porsches, 7 Mercedes, 1 Aston Martin Vanquish and 1 Ferrari), a monetary claim with a value of more than 5 million euros. , the surplus value of a Swiss chalet amounting to 3.5 million euros, the business inventory of the former head office of the group with a value of more than 100,000 euros, and the furniture of his former family home in Uden with a value of more than 300,000 euros.
These amounts add up to approximately 11 million euros. “Leaving behind a debt of 320 million euros, suspects left,” according to the officers’ calculations, “with at least 11 million euros to Dubai.”
The charges also include money laundering for both suspects. ‘This is related to the cashing of the aforementioned monetary claim of more than 5 million euros from Dubai in 2014. According to the Public Prosecution Service, suspects are still reaping the benefits of this to this day, because they built a life in Dubai ten years ago,” the Public Prosecution Service said.
Strafeis
Due to the scale of the fraud, the justice department has demanded an unconditional prison sentence for both suspects: Roger Lips for 4 years and his wife for 18 months.
