Van Eerd, a prominent figure in motorsport, was arrested in September 2022 during a search at his home. He is one of nine suspects implicated in this case. The team left the sport after the 2022 Motul Petit Le Mans event following Van Eerd’s arrest. Eerd stepped down from his position in March 2023.
The investigation centers around laundered money and goods through various channels, including real estate transactions, car trading, unexplained cash deposits, and sponsorship contracts in motocross.
🗞️ NEWS: Former Racing Team Nederland owner/driver Frits van Eerd has been charged with nonadministrative corruption and forgery of documents in a large-scale fraud investigation by Dutch authorities.
➡️ https://t.co/ZmAWr7TO0t pic.twitter.com/GruhBMwpge
— Sportscar365 (@sportscar365) April 9, 2024
Notably, neither the supermarket chain Jumbo, where Van Eerd served as CEO, nor the Racing Team Nederland were directly involved in the investigation.
The Legal implication and timeline
The Dutch public prosecutor’s office has confirmed that Van Eerd will be prosecuted for nonadministrative corruption (essentially, bribery) and forgery of documents.
Additionally, there’s a possibility of money laundering charges being brought against him once the ongoing investigation concludes.
The 59-year-old main suspect, Theo E., will also face prosecution for orchestrating tax fraud using his registered legal entity.
The first preliminary hearing for both Eerd and Theo E. is scheduled for September.
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