According to Follow the Money (FTM), opinion maker Sywert van Lienden has more than 9 million euros left from a controversial face mask deal with the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports. According to FTM investigation reporters, he transferred the money to a personal holding company. Usually this build is used to make the assets invisible.
Van Lienden’s two business partners raised around € 5 million. The amounts were confirmed by business partners and Van Lienden.
Relief Goods Alliance BV, founded by the three companies, supplied 40 million medical masks last year, valued at more than 100 million euros. Van Lienden made it appear that the deal was struck on a non-profit basis and was the result of social sharing.
A devastating media storm
Later doubts arose about this. So far, Van Linden didn’t want to fully open things up, as he put it due to secrecy clauses.
In an article on the FTM website, Van Lienden said the deal resulted in much more than originally thought. This will be the result of “a number of external factors including exchange rates, strong quality management, lower raw material prices and the procurement benefits that have been realized”.
Ultimately, he says, he wants to give the 9 million a “social goal.” But the question still remains as to whether the full amount will go. “Whether this is fully achievable depends in part on the current devastating media storm in my career,” Van Linden says.
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