Fundamentalist church leader arrested for financial fraud

This 3 November 2016 Dutch regional TV video shows an interview with Ms Ellen Heijmerikx, who grew up in the cultish Brunstad Christian Church, left it and wrote books about it.

In 2013 Dutch Christian broadcasters NCRV had a TV show about Brunstad Christian Church, which is accused of exploiting slave labour in their employment agency which is a subcontractor for big corporations.

Translated from NOS TV in the Netherlands:

Leader of Brunstad Christian Church arrested for embezzling eight million euros

Today, 11:35

The investigation service FIOD has arrested a man and a woman in an investigation into the embezzlement of about eight million euros from charities. NRC Handelsblad daily reports that he is one of the leaders of the orthodox Christian faith community Brunstad Christian Church in the Netherlands.

The suspect used to work as a FIOD detective, says NRC. The prosecution would not confirm that.

The arrest of the 34-year-old man from Apeldoorn and his 21-year-old girlfriend was in early March. This week it was decided they will remain in jail for ninety more days. The man is, except of embezzlement, also suspected of fraud and money laundering. The woman is suspected of involvement in the money laundering.

The money is said to be from the Hippo Mundi Charity linked to the Brunstad Christian Church.

The Dutch language Wikipedia entry about the Brunstad Christian Church (not the English language one) mentions that the Brunstad Christian Church discourages contact with people of other Christian, supposedly ‘false’ churches. They strongly reject homosexuality and abortion. They are actively engaged in real estate and other commercial activities.

Dutch trade unions accuse the Brunstad Christian Church of exploiting unpaid labour in their employment agency DWN, which are subcontractors for big corporations. The church has been accused of child abuse as well.