Hermann van Holbeck will remain in prison for at least another fifteen days

Hermann van Hollsbeek was already a suspect in money laundering and fraud in September 2019, but his arrest was now to come after new items appeared on file. This is disputed by the defence. ‘All the elements were already known in September 2019’ say Professor Daniel Sprotels and Alexander Willmott.

Brussels Council does not respond to their request for release. His pre-trial detention has been extended by one month, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office has reported. A sister newspaper wrote that his lawyers will appeal this decision Newspaper. Within fifteen days, van Holsbeek must appear before the indictment chamber.

Illegal Transfer Fee

The Office of the Federal Prosecutor and Investigating Judge in Brussels, Michel Cleese, has been conducting a judicial investigation into money laundering and gang formation for some time. This investigation focuses, among other things, on the financial structures surrounding the transfer of Aleksandar Mitrovic and Chancel Mbemba to English football club Newcastle, and the transfer of Yuri Tillmans to Monaco. Van Holsbeeck is suspected of wearing black and, unbeknownst to RSC Anderlecht, would have collected fees for these transfers. Van Holsbeeck was actually questioned about this in September 2019.

“All the items now in the file were known at the time,” say lawyers for the former Anderlecht manager. An additional investigation has since been conducted, but Mr. Van Holsbeek has answered all questions from investigators and the coroner in recent years.

According to the lawyers, there can be no danger of collusion either: “If he had wanted to, Mr. Van Hollsbeck would have had time in the past two years to make agreements with the other suspects on file. That did not happen. So there is no need to keep him in prison, especially in A time when he has health problems. It’s also not fair that the only person involved in the football scandal is in prison.”