John Deuss appears in court owing to illegal banking

March 19, 2012 10:47 AM

ARNHEM/WILLEMSTAD - In the court in Arnhem the criminal trail against executive John Deuss begins, almost seven years after his arrest on Bermuda.

The executive stands trial together with his sister, who is assisted by six lawyers. Eighteen session days are planned.“The Public Prosecutor (OM) accuses Deuss and his First Curaçao International Bank (FCIB) of illegal banking, membership of a criminal organization and violating the report obligation for unusual financial transactions. Deuss is accused of money laundering”, according to the recap of the Financieele Dagblad (FD). 

“Justice considers FCIB ‘the largest money laundering bank on earth”, according to the FD. Deuss was arrested on Bermuda in 2006. He was released after paying 2.5 million euros on security money. Shortly afterwards, the police raided his castle in Berg en Dal.

“Deuss lawyers wonder why the Antillean central bank had never commented on the FCIB-annual accounts approved by the external accountant Deloitte and the internal accountant PwC and the underlying monthly statements, if they suspected the FCIB. By calling in the Dutch central bank, the Antillean central bank could also have criticized the computer operations in Berg en Dal. But this didn’t happen either”, the FD wrote.

FCIB bid 25 percent of their clients farewell on August 15th 2066, namely those from the telecommunication and computer trade. At that time, Deuss said he was already consulting with British and American authorities for nearly two years on their suspicions against certain FCIB-clients, according to the FD.

“Three weeks after bidding the high-risk group farewell, investigation services raided a castle in Berg en Dal on September 6th 2006, where, according to Deuss, an administrative office of his group of companies is domiciled, which office also performs work for FCIB. The investigating officials are accompanied by the banks’ supervisor, an official of the Bank of the Netherlands (DNB) working with the Fiod.”

“An arrest warrant is issued for Deuss, who is arrested one month later on Bermuda. Today, almost seven years later, Deuss is to appear before the court in Arnhem as a result of these raids. Deuss is accused of acting as a banker in his small castle in Berg en Dal without a DNB-permit”, according to the newspaper that follows the trial via Editor Vasco van der Boon.