Willem Holleeder
Encyclopedia
Willem Frederik Holleeder (born 29 May 1958, in Amsterdam
, Noord-Holland) is perhaps one of the best known Dutch
criminals. In 2007 he was sentenced to nine years in prison for several counts of extortion, including the extortion of Willem Endstra
, who was murdered in 2004 after falling-out with Holleeder. He is currently serving his sentence in Nieuw Vosseveld
. In 1983, Holleeder was sentenced to eleven years imprisonment for his involvement in the kidnapping
of Heineken
president Freddy Heineken
, for which 16 million euros ransom was collected.
breweries who lost his job because of alcoholism. As a teenager, he, along with his classmate Cor van Hout was part of a gang that worked for landlords in evicting squatters, and may have been involved in several robberies. Cor van Hout was later to become his brother-in-law.
, who was later accused of ordering the murder of Holleeder's brother-in-law and co-criminal Cor van Hout.
After serving the Heineken sentence, Holleeder emerged as a high-profile criminal leader, riding scooters and buying goods on the main fashion streets of Amsterdam and hobnobbing with popstars. Several million of the Heineken ransom was never traced, and may have been part of his initial kitty with which he and Cor van Hout set up an extortion empire; there are said to be up to 24 people in his crime ring.
Initially, he was in a business relationship with real estate businessman Willem Endstra, possibly involving money laundering,. After Cor van Hout was killed in 2003, Holleeder fell out with Endstra. In 2005, Endstra secretly testified to the police about Holleeder, but was shot dead near his office in 2004. It is suspected that Holleeder, along with his partner-in-crime Dino S., ordered the murder of both Willem Endstra and John Mieremet
, who was shot in Thailand on 2 November 2005. Holleeder's name keeps turning up in this connection although three suspects in the Endstra murder, Ali N. (23) and C. Özgür (27) of Alkmaar
and Cleon D. (27) from Almere
have been released. According to Endstra, Holleeder was involved in 25 murders, including that of Cor van Hout.
The Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf
reported on 16 July 2006, that Holleeder and Cor van Hout had planned to kidnap Prince Bernhard instead of Freddy Heineken
in the 1980s. Thomas van der Bijl, who was murdered in his bar in Amsterdam in April 2006, made these allegations in a deposition before the Dutch national police
Among the witnesses in the trial was lawyer Bram Zeegers
, who testified that Holleeder had been extorting millions of euros from Endstra between 2000 and 2004. A week after the testimony, Zeegers was found dead of drug overdose.
In late 2007, Holleeder underwent a heart valve surgery; initially reports of his failing health were thought to be a hoax, but present medical opinion appears to suggest that he is indeed in poor health and may not survive the present sentence.
While he was under detention in 2008, he was also arrested for alleged involvement in the murder of Yugoslav drugs dealer Serge Miranovic in 2006.
Holleeder was found guilty of extortion and sentenced to nine years in prison, presently held in Nieuw Vosseveld
. His subsequent appeal was turned down by the appeals court in July 2009.
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...
, Noord-Holland) is perhaps one of the best known Dutch
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...
criminals. In 2007 he was sentenced to nine years in prison for several counts of extortion, including the extortion of Willem Endstra
Willem Endstra
Willem Alexander Arnold Peter Minne Endstra was a Dutch real estate trader.Endstra started his own business, Convoy Vastgoed BV, in 1987 after having worked in his parents' real estate business and studying law at the Vrije Universiteit.In 1992 Endstra was investigated for allegedly using his...
, who was murdered in 2004 after falling-out with Holleeder. He is currently serving his sentence in Nieuw Vosseveld
Nieuw Vosseveld
Nieuw Vosseveld is a high security prison in the Dutch town of Vught, part of the Custodial Institutions Agency of the Dutch Ministry of Public Safety and Justice within the Dutch criminal justice system...
. In 1983, Holleeder was sentenced to eleven years imprisonment for his involvement in the kidnapping
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
of Heineken
Heineken
Heineken is a Dutch beer which has been brewed by Heineken International since 1873. It is available in a 4.6% alcohol variety in countries such as Ireland. It is the flagship product of the Heineken company and is made of purified water, malted barley, hops, and yeast. In 1886 H...
president Freddy Heineken
Freddy Heineken
Alfred Henry Heineken was a Dutch major stock holder and president of Heineken International, the brewing company bought in 1864 by his grandfather Gerard Adriaan Heineken in Amsterdam....
, for which 16 million euros ransom was collected.
Life
Born in 1958 in Amsterdam, Holleeder was the son of an employee at the HeinekenHeineken
Heineken is a Dutch beer which has been brewed by Heineken International since 1873. It is available in a 4.6% alcohol variety in countries such as Ireland. It is the flagship product of the Heineken company and is made of purified water, malted barley, hops, and yeast. In 1886 H...
breweries who lost his job because of alcoholism. As a teenager, he, along with his classmate Cor van Hout was part of a gang that worked for landlords in evicting squatters, and may have been involved in several robberies. Cor van Hout was later to become his brother-in-law.
Heineken kidnapping
In 1983, their relatively unknown gang abducted the Heineken heir Freddy Heineken (who had purchased back the family ownership of the brewery), along with his chauffeur in a daring kidnap. Ultimately, their demand for 35 million guilders ransom (Euro 16 mil.) was met by the family, although the police were against it. After Freddy Heineken's release, the kidnappers - Cor van Hout, Willem Holleeder, Jan Boelaard, Frans Meijer, and Martin Erkamps- were all eventually traced and served prison sentences. In this period Holleeder met many other gangsters, including John MieremetJohn Mieremet
Johannes Mieremet was a Dutch underworld figure associated with the Willem Endstra extortion and assassination. Mieremet's former lawyer Evert Hingst was gunned down on Monday October 31, 2005...
, who was later accused of ordering the murder of Holleeder's brother-in-law and co-criminal Cor van Hout.
After serving the Heineken sentence, Holleeder emerged as a high-profile criminal leader, riding scooters and buying goods on the main fashion streets of Amsterdam and hobnobbing with popstars. Several million of the Heineken ransom was never traced, and may have been part of his initial kitty with which he and Cor van Hout set up an extortion empire; there are said to be up to 24 people in his crime ring.
Initially, he was in a business relationship with real estate businessman Willem Endstra, possibly involving money laundering,. After Cor van Hout was killed in 2003, Holleeder fell out with Endstra. In 2005, Endstra secretly testified to the police about Holleeder, but was shot dead near his office in 2004. It is suspected that Holleeder, along with his partner-in-crime Dino S., ordered the murder of both Willem Endstra and John Mieremet
John Mieremet
Johannes Mieremet was a Dutch underworld figure associated with the Willem Endstra extortion and assassination. Mieremet's former lawyer Evert Hingst was gunned down on Monday October 31, 2005...
, who was shot in Thailand on 2 November 2005. Holleeder's name keeps turning up in this connection although three suspects in the Endstra murder, Ali N. (23) and C. Özgür (27) of Alkmaar
Alkmaar
Alkmaar is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of Noord Holland. Alkmaar is well known for its traditional cheese market. For tourists, it is a popular cultural destination.-History:...
and Cleon D. (27) from Almere
Almere
Almere is a planned city and municipality in the province of Flevoland, the Netherlands, bordering Lelystad and Zeewolde. The municipality of Almere comprises the districts Almere Stad, Almere Haven, Almere Buiten, Almere Hout, Almere Poort and Almere Pampus .Almere is the youngest city in the...
have been released. According to Endstra, Holleeder was involved in 25 murders, including that of Cor van Hout.
The Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf
De Telegraaf
De Telegraaf is the largest Dutch daily morning newspaper, with a daily circulation of approximately . De Telegraaf is based in Amsterdam...
reported on 16 July 2006, that Holleeder and Cor van Hout had planned to kidnap Prince Bernhard instead of Freddy Heineken
Freddy Heineken
Alfred Henry Heineken was a Dutch major stock holder and president of Heineken International, the brewing company bought in 1864 by his grandfather Gerard Adriaan Heineken in Amsterdam....
in the 1980s. Thomas van der Bijl, who was murdered in his bar in Amsterdam in April 2006, made these allegations in a deposition before the Dutch national police
2007 trial and sentencing
Holleeder's 2006 trial was dubbed the Trial of the Century. His lawyer, Bram Moszkowicz, argued that media pronunciations on Holleeder as one of the "topcriminelen" had prejudiced the case against him. However, Moszkowicz was forced to resign after media allegations of conflict of interest, since he had also been the lawyer for Willem Endstra.Among the witnesses in the trial was lawyer Bram Zeegers
Bram Zeegers
Bram Zeegers was a Dutch lawyer. Zeegers was a key witness in the 2007 murder and extortion trial of suspected crime boss Willem Holleeder. Holleeder was on trial for the May 17, 2004, murder of Dutch real estate businessman Willem Endstra. Holleeder is also suspected of blackmailing several...
, who testified that Holleeder had been extorting millions of euros from Endstra between 2000 and 2004. A week after the testimony, Zeegers was found dead of drug overdose.
In late 2007, Holleeder underwent a heart valve surgery; initially reports of his failing health were thought to be a hoax, but present medical opinion appears to suggest that he is indeed in poor health and may not survive the present sentence.
While he was under detention in 2008, he was also arrested for alleged involvement in the murder of Yugoslav drugs dealer Serge Miranovic in 2006.
Holleeder was found guilty of extortion and sentenced to nine years in prison, presently held in Nieuw Vosseveld
Nieuw Vosseveld
Nieuw Vosseveld is a high security prison in the Dutch town of Vught, part of the Custodial Institutions Agency of the Dutch Ministry of Public Safety and Justice within the Dutch criminal justice system...
. His subsequent appeal was turned down by the appeals court in July 2009.