Dutch COVID Mask Deal Scandal: Former Media Figure Faces Criminal Charges
Amsterdam, Friday, 22 November 2024.
In a significant development in the Netherlands’ largest pandemic-era fraud case, Sywert van Lienden and two partners face prosecution for a €100 million face mask deal from 2020. The trio allegedly misled the government by operating through a foundation while secretly channeling profits through a private company, pocketing millions while delivering unusable masks.
The Backstory of the Controversial Deal
In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sywert van Lienden, a well-known figure in Dutch media, along with his partners Camille van Gestel and Bernd Damme, secured a lucrative contract with the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. The deal, valued at €100 million, was meant to supply 40 million face masks to alleviate the country’s shortage. However, the masks were later discovered to be of insufficient quality and were never used, raising questions about the integrity of the transaction.
Legal Proceedings and Allegations
The Public Prosecution Service (OM) announced on 21 November 2024 that Van Lienden and his partners would face charges including fraud, embezzlement, forgery, and money laundering[1]. The OM’s investigation revealed that while Van Lienden publicly claimed the venture was non-profit, he and his partners had secretly used their commercial entity, Relief Goods Alliance BV, to execute the deal, thereby reaping significant profits. The prosecution accuses the trio of misleading the government and the public, exploiting the pandemic for personal gain.
Upcoming Court Proceedings
The trio is scheduled to appear in court on 19 December 2024, in Rotterdam, for a preliminary hearing. This session will outline the specific charges against them and set the stage for what could be a protracted legal battle. Van Lienden has been vocal on social media, describing the legal proceedings as damaging but also an opportunity to present evidence to counter the accusations[1]. He maintains that the evidence currently available undermines the prosecution’s case and looks forward to the chance to hear witnesses and present his own evidence.
Parallel Civil Litigation
In addition to the criminal case, the Ministry of Health has initiated a civil lawsuit against Van Lienden and his partners to recover the funds from the mask deal. A hearing for this civil case was held in April 2024, with another session scheduled for 4 December 2024. This civil action seeks to address the financial discrepancies and potential recovery of the millions allegedly misappropriated by the accused, separate from the criminal charges they face now[1].