PHILIPSBURG:--- The owner of Bada Bing strip club who is one of the suspects involved in the ORCA investigation allegedly gave himself up to police on Monday.
According to information reaching SMN News, Jaap van den Heuvel was in the Netherlands since the Bada Bing bribery scandal broke and the Prosecutor's Office requested that he return to the island now that the ORCA investigation has completed and actions by the Prosecutor's Office are to be taken. Van den Heuvel was seen on tape offering what appears to be a bribe to Member of Parliament Patrick Illidge. The scandal broke early this year when the MP was in the Netherlands. Back then MP Illidge told SMN News that he was being blackmailed by the leader of the UP. The MP also provided emails that was sent to him by Van den Heuvel who told him that he was asked to tape him while he was paying back the MP monies he borrowed from him during his divorce episode.
SMN News learnt that Van den Heuvel returned to the island on Sunday and was heard on Monday shortly after midday. He was then taken into custody.
Several efforts made by SMN News to obtain confirmation from the Prosecutor's Office proved futile up to Monday evening. SMN News reporter made several calls to Chief Prosecutor Hans Wesslink but all of the calls went unanswered.
Attorney at Law Cor Merx who is representing Van den Heuvel refused to comment when he was contacted on Monday evening.
SMN News is following the developments surrounding the ORCA investigation and will bring you more information when it becomes available.
Arrest in Orca Investigation.
Monday morning, September 30th, 2013 JvdH was arrested by the Landsrecherche. The suspect was arrested on the accounts of forgery, tax fraud, and money laundering. VdH, who has been off island for a while, voluntarily turned himself in. The interrogation is pending. In the interest of the ongoing investigation no further information can be disclosed.
The Orca investigation started in March this year following the showing of a film on the websites of The Daily Herald and the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. On the footage JvdH, owner of the "Bada Bing" brothel, can be seen handing over probably banknotes to the independent parliamentarian PI.
Press Release from Public Prosecutor's Office
