Claudia Melchers
Encyclopedia
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
head of a cooking company called CMC Catering. She is the daughter of Hans Melchers
Hans Melchers
Hans Daniel Melchers is a Dutch businessman. Melchers founded Melchemie Holland BV, and is major shareholder in HAL Investments BV. With a total capital of Euro 460 million, Melchers reached a 36th spot in the 2005 edition of the Quote 500-list of the most wealthy Dutch. His daughter, Claudia,...
a wealthy Dutch businessman.
On September 12, 2005, a group of three armed South-American men broke into her home in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, tied her and packed her into a plastic crate, and then forced her into a waiting vehicle. The intruders also bound and gagged a male neighbor present at the time, but left her two children unharmed. The children freed the neighbor shortly before police arrived.
The abductors took Melchers to a bungalowpark in the eastern part of the Netherlands. She was held captive in one of the bungalows. After the case got so much media attention, Melchers was dropped off unharmed at the Arnhem
Arnhem
Arnhem is a city and municipality, situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland and located near the river Nederrijn as well as near the St. Jansbeek, which was the source of the city's development. Arnhem has 146,095 residents as one of the...
train station within 48 hours. No reason was given for her release, and it is unclear whether a ransom was paid.
The abductors reportedly demanded 660 pounds of cocaine. After the release of this fact, several Dutch Radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
- and Television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
stations speculated that the reason for the kidnapping was an error with a drug deal, and that the abductors were in quick need of cocaine. The stations claimed that they got their information from the police. The above mentioned media also speculated that Melchers' family is involved in the drug scene. Melchers' father - Hans Melchers
Hans Melchers
Hans Daniel Melchers is a Dutch businessman. Melchers founded Melchemie Holland BV, and is major shareholder in HAL Investments BV. With a total capital of Euro 460 million, Melchers reached a 36th spot in the 2005 edition of the Quote 500-list of the most wealthy Dutch. His daughter, Claudia,...
- denied any of these connections and announced that he is going to sue several newspapers and television programs that launched this rumor.
Hans Melchers is also the 36th richest person of The Netherlands. The estimation of his wealth is 460 million euro. He is also the founder of Melchemie, a chemical company that delivered phosphorus oxychloride to the regime of Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
in 1984.
Lorenzo M., one of the alleged abductors of Melchers, was convicted to eight years in prison in 2007. Later that year his nephew Izaan M. was convicted to ten years in prison. Three others involved were earlier convicted to two to 6 years.
Similar cases in the Netherlands
Other famous kidnaps in the Netherlands which look like the Claudia Melchers case are:- Valerie Albada Jelgersma (1987)
- Hans van de KimmenadeHans van de KimmenadeJoannes Rafaël Maria van de Kimmenade is from the Dutch Van de Kimmenade family. This family is well known for their holdings in the textile industry....
(1999) - Reinier Terwindt (2003)