Thai court sentences Dutch national to 103 years in jail

[anto]

The Thai authority siezed B100m ,so where is the other E 21,500,000 ? ...I bet he still has some amout in a Swiss bank account .

[JulianLS]

I am no position to judge whether this chap is guilty or innocent, as there are not enough facts available. That doesnt seem to have stopped other posters expressing an opinion on the subject though.....

But what is clear is that he has been convicted in Thailand of money laundering. Not selling weed in the Netherlands, nor evading taxes. Note also the 43 convictions, implying that they convicted him of 43 instances of money laundering.

Now, money laundering is taking a nother person's "dirty" money, putting it through a business, and then giving it back to him. For the service, the launderer gets a signficant cut. Bringing money from a legit Dutch coffee shop businesss to Thailand is not laundering it. It was never dirty, and it was never laundered. However, putting someone else's money through one's coffee shop books, and giving it back to them for a cut, would be laundering. It sounds like this is what he has been accused of doing. As some have pointed out, 24 million Euros is a lot of profit from just a few coffee shops.

I for on am suspending judgement for the time being. Reason: lack of any of the facts of the case!

[thaiduncankk]

Can't he buy his way out of a Thai cconviction? I assume he can...and will. This is just a dog and pony show for the courts in the Netherlands.

No.

Once it has gone this far it is too late.

One person comes to mind.

If this was possible, he would come back to face his 2 year jail sentence, pay money and walk free.

[micmichd]

Sounds a bit different now according to German FARANG Magazine.

Dutch tax office obvioulsy wanted taxes from smuggled marihuana, and smuggling is a crime in European countries. Maybe he admitted somewhere that he smuggled marijuana from Thailand, or this whole thing is only denounciation by someone who thought he'd never return to Europe anyway (happened to me once when I was "too long" in Asia) Dutch courts should check about this first.

[ParadiseLost]

Perhaps "Money Laundering" is the new catch-all for Thai officialdom, when all else fails.

It worked in Al Capone's case...

Last year I transferred money to my daughter's account in Australia, but somehow I got the account number wrong. To cut a long story short, the money was returned and then 'frozen' by Bangkok Bank for 'suspected money laundering'; they would not release it until I gave an affidavit explaining the mishap... They've had my account more than 10 years now and I live at the same address too... Only a few thousand AUD...

I would love to know, what is the personal net worth of all senior RTP and judges involved in this case.

[chilli42]

Humnnnnn interesting process. I wonder if he was ????? oh I don't know ????? let's say - Thai - would he be out on bail?

No because they have already seized his assets. We all know that penniless people must pay for their crimes!

[ratcatcher]

Maybe the last time they will hold hands? Something not quite right in this case.

[Krataiboy]

Wow! More a century in jail for money laundering. Imagine how the cowboy global banks would clean up their act if their bosses got the same short shrift.

HSBC was convicted of money laundering for drugs gangs and terrorist groups and although the bank given a rap-over-the-wrist fine (promptly passed on to their customers, of course) the top dogs got off Scot free.

Be interesting to see if there are any prosecutions of bosses from the banks which washed this Edam-eater's grubby money. Don't hold your breath.

[jvs]

Each bank transfer a new offense is 43 of them.

Most likely he declared a lot less money to the Dutch tax office and when they asked for his bank accounts in Thailand they saw he transferred a (hell of a lot)lot more than shown in the books.

His coffeeshops are still open and making money daily.

Laundering?probably yes.

His case will come up for review and he will be sent back to Holland but without his 24 million euros but somehow i think he will have a few more some where else.

He was probably laundering for some body else or dealing a lot under the counter which is more than likely,both scenarios are a no no.

[sjaak327]

This Is a big disgrace.

The Dutch justice department should know that there is no such thing as Justice in Thailand. If they have something concrete for a case back in the Netherlands, they should've merely asked for extradition.

Judging from the reports I have read. The sentence is so high because the money was earned selling cannabis, for which the accused had a license. Hence didn't break any laws.

A Thai judge can be trusted to nail someone on this basis, which the Dutch should have know about..

[salavan]

all because of a three letter word TAX

[hgma]

!00 million plus confiscated, by the Thai state?

[morpho]

Sounds the Thai courts really stuck it to this guy for his transgressions.

Just curious but did the courts ever do the same to the Thai-English actress who killed a policeman...and the Redbull heir who also killed a policeman?

[watcharacters]

I would venture to guess there is more here then meets the eyes. I am sure he paid his taxes for his coffee shops. Any launderer needs something legit to run money through. Is it BS he was sentenced in Thai court, you bet. Should have been sent back to NL for trial. But Thailand is just following the US's lead; bust the drug king pins in foreign countries, that have never set foot in the states, then ship them to the states for trial. Never could grasp that concept but I am just a small fish in a huge pond.

How did it get from NL to Thailand to USA?

Are you saying the holsters are firmly on the USA hips and not China or Russia?

[hutchings1963]

Just remember if your a white man in Thailand you are guilty already.

[thaiduncankk]

Sounds the Thai courts really stuck it to this guy for his transgressions.

Just curious but did the courts ever do the same to the Thai-English actress who killed a policeman...and the Redbull heir who also killed a policeman?

The latter 2 cases have not gone to trial yet.

Once it is in the trial system it is a different scenario.

Maybe, with so much cash, he could have done more to avoid the court system ?

[cyberfarang]

Money laundering convictions in Europe require the prosecution to show that the cash or assets were the proceeds of crime.

Very few details here. I wonder what evidence was presented to the court to show that the millions of Euros of assets this couple had in Thailand were indeed the proceeds of crime.

Some of these villains are smart and difficult to find criminal evidence against them. The 1920s gangster Al Capone was in that category, the FEDs had difficulty proving anything against him but were determined to get him on something that they did on tax evasion. Seems like the Dutch law enforcement's have done some kind of deal with the Thai police that the whole story won`t be made public.

He is actually serving 20 years not 103 years and my guess is he will probably buy himself out well before that. Wouldn`t surprise me if he`s out by the next 2 years.

[Kasset Tak]

so if you follow this line of thinking if someone becomes involved in that business in say Colorado or Washington in USA (on a legitimate basis because it is now legal there) and brings the money to Thailand to buy a property through their wife are they also guilty of money laundering? not that I am a supporter of the drug trade but I can't understand how you can end up being guilty and with such a whopping jail sentence if you have been undertaking activities that were deemed legal in the other country?

To buy property through your wife is actually illegal too in Thailand, the wife must be able to show that she has earned the money herself or the land/property can get confiscated under Thai law!

[Jeremy50]

Money laundering convictions in Europe require the prosecution to show that the cash or assets were the proceeds of crime.

Very few details here. I wonder what evidence was presented to the court to show that the millions of Euros of assets this couple had in Thailand were indeed the proceeds of crime.

Some of these villains are smart and difficult to find criminal evidence against them. The 1920s gangster Al Capone was in that category, the FEDs had difficulty proving anything against him but were determined to get him on something that they did on tax evasion. Seems like the Dutch law enforcement's have done some kind of deal with the Thai police that the whole story won`t be made public.

He is actually serving 20 years not 103 years and my guess is he will probably buy himself out well before that. Wouldn`t surprise me if he`s out by the next 2 years.

Let's hope so. The IQ of the judge was actually stated by local press to be 103 less 20 plus 2.

[yougivemebaby]

Someone should ask the Thai visa lawyer how this makes any sense?

[element555]

Another example of Stop drug traffic and criminal activity related by legalize , sell, control quality, invest saved money for youth prevention

STOP TO PUT PEOPLE IN JAIL FOR WEED (don't talk about big trafficant and don't know about this fellow )

[tfbpa]

<edit>

sorry, my mistake, was different drug lord also called Johan from Holland...

</edit>

Edited November 11, 2015 by tfbpa

[luckyman]

The key part of the story is the 24m Euros they were allowed to seize. Did they find it? Who knows, it's long gone through an rtp laundry.

Exactly !

They confiscated cash accounts, cars and properties right after his arrest worth couple of hundred million baht, as not all his money is in Thailand, but in case of innocence they would have to return all that to him.

A sad story which tells again that is always better to follow the rules of your own country as well as the country of your 'retirement'.

[Prbkk]

So the extent of his crime is tax avoidance/evasion on coffee shop income? Starbucks does that in every country in which it operates (somehwat ironically basing some of the shell companies in The Netherlands)

[luckyman]

"The arrest was made after Dutch public prosecution officials asked colleagues in Thailand for their help."

Damn Dutch authorities! Probably really pissed off the Thai police. If they hadn't been involved, this could have been the biggest payoff in Thai history and van Laarhoven would be spending his time on the beach instead of prison.

Actually he was summoned by the Dutch authorities, for information on his former collegues.

There never was an arrest warrant issued for him at all.

He choose to remain here and show his middle finger to the Dutch government, stupid mistake, as that made the Dutch angry and ask for 'help' from the RTP.

Had he gone back and with a good lawyer answered all their questions, he now would be on a beach sipping mojito's instead of eating fish head's soup in a Thai jail.

[realenglish1]

Money laundering a load of garbage How may times have I inadvertently left a 100 baht in my jeans when I washed them

Ok Ok Its may fault I agree but going to jail for washing money in your jeans is a little much don't you think?

[luckyman]

Money laundering convictions in Europe require the prosecution to show that the cash or assets were the proceeds of crime.

Very few details here. I wonder what evidence was presented to the court to show that the millions of Euros of assets this couple had in Thailand were indeed the proceeds of crime.

Some of these villains are smart and difficult to find criminal evidence against them. The 1920s gangster Al Capone was in that category, the FEDs had difficulty proving anything against him but were determined to get him on something that they did on tax evasion. Seems like the Dutch law enforcement's have done some kind of deal with the Thai police that the whole story won`t be made public.

He is actually serving 20 years not 103 years and my guess is he will probably buy himself out well before that. Wouldn`t surprise me if he`s out by the next 2 years.

Actually he filed for an appeal, so he is not done offending the Thai judicial system.

If he had confessed from the start and behaved proerply and politely throughout his detention all this would never happened.

He is a bully and a very rude one at that, and never let a moment go to offend the arresting officers, the jail guards and even his lawyers.

I am very familiar with the case as a good friend of mine was almost a victim of a scam Johan pulled off against him last year right before his arrest.

Som nam naa

[elgordo38]

The key part of the story is the 24m Euros they were allowed to seize. Did they find it? Who knows, it's long gone through an rtp laundry.

No doubt the RTP report will say sorry could not find any cash here.

[TPI]

Humnnnnn interesting process. I wonder if he was ????? oh I don't know ????? let's say - Thai - would he be out on bail?

Gosh! What a thing to suggest!!!

[elgordo38]

30 years in the drug trade,instead of laundering millions of Euros he should have stopped years ago while he was ahead!

24 million Euros how much does a crook want?

Greed in the world goes to the very top of the food chain. Enough is never enough.