419 'money launderer' caught at Schiphol Airport

Police say companies were plundered

By Jan Libbenga • Get more from this author

Posted in Music and Media, 2nd January 2007 12:46 GMT

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Dutch police believe a Nigerian man who was arrested at Schiphol Airport a couple of weeks ago with €1.2m in his pocket - the biggest money seizure in Dutch history - belongs to a major 419 scam operation.

According to Dutch police Idowu Musiliu Balogun, 36, works for ringleader U. Kingsley, who is still at large. Kingsley and his band of confidence tricksters recently plundered a dozen or so German companies for €4m.

Balogun and Kingsley were arrested two years ago in Nigeria for selling a house in the US without the knowledge of the owner. Both men had gained access to a mailbox of a US businessman and then instructed an estate agent to sell his house and transfer the money to their own account. Another victim from Limburg in the Netherlands was lured into a classic advance fee scheme, with promises of lottery winnings or an inheritance.

Lawyer Theo Hiddema told the Dutch daily Telegraaf that his client "is just a Nigerian businessman who visited Holland to buy trucks, but unfortunately his business partner didn't turn up". However, Hiddema had to admit that if the accusations bear any merit “the case can get complicated."®

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