During the corona pandemic, the so-called NOW regulation provided financial compensation for Dutch companies with substantial loss of revenue. The government support was specifically intended for paying salaries and keeping staff employed. Through reports of banks and notaries we identified several cases of misuse of the NOW regulation. In this combined case study, you can read about our efforts and findings.

Criminals use various methods for money laundering. Especially shell companies and companies set up by straw owners are popular. These arrangements are often set up by intermediaries, leaving the real instigators out of sight. Reports of unusual transactions help us trace illegal financial structures.

Analysis by FIU-the Netherlands has shown that large, well-known companies in labour-intensive sectors such as construction and parcel delivery place work orders with (sub)contractors and pay them in cash. At these subcontractors, however, no or hardly any wage payments via wire transfer take place; employees are paid in cash.

Legal entities and real estate. Both can be used by criminals to launder their illicit assets. This case also involved financing from abroad, which can also be a way to conceal the origin of money.