Netherlands’ Fiscal Information and Investigation Service (FIOD) has arrested three suspects on suspicion of forgery and money laundering. Additionally, the FIOD suspects another woman who has not yet been arrested.
The FIOD began its investigation after receiving information from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). The suspects pretended to be intermediaries and submitted false applications for TOGS and Tozo on behalf of various existing companies. Between April and October 2020, the suspects fraudulently submitted over 50 TOGS and 6 Tozo applications to the authorities. Five TOGS and two Tozo applications got approved, with over 30,000 euros ($36,412) transferred to the bank accounts of suspects.
TOGS, or the allowance for entrepreneurs affected by COVID-19 measures, was a scheme for companies in certain sectors affected by COVID-19 measures. This scheme allowed affected companies to request an allowance of 4,000 euros ($4,855) from the RVO during March-June 2020. Meanwhile, Tozo, or the temporary bridging scheme for self-employed persons, allows self-employed persons facing financial difficulties due to the pandemic to request funds from the municipality.
Source: FIOD, Netherlands