Case over sold addresses nears next hearing
The Public Prosecution Service links searches by an Amsterdam civil servant to at least 95 violent incidents.
.jpg){kind=link}
In Amsterdam, criminal proceedings are under way against a municipal employee suspected of selling names and addresses from government systems to criminals. According to the Public Prosecution Service, at least 95 violent incidents can be linked to searches carried out by the defendant.
The case is being heard this week by the Amsterdam District Court. According to the public schedule of the Landelijk Parket, the administrative employee is standing trial on suspicion of corruption and complicity in causing explosions. The hearing is taking place over several days, including Tuesday 22 September.
The Public Prosecution Service says the defendant searched for addresses and names in government systems between January 2024 and May 2025. Two co-defendants are alleged to have bought the personal data in order to pass it on to customers in criminal circles. The defendant was arrested in May 2025.
The Public Prosecution Service's list comprises 36 explosions, fourteen threatening or bullet letters, eight shootings at homes, two attempted murders or manslaughters and one kidnapping. These are incidents that, according to the prosecution, can be linked to searches; this does not establish that the defendant caused or intended every violent incident.
The case touches on a vulnerable part of government: civil servants have access to data that citizens need for public services, but which can pose an immediate danger in the wrong hands. Investigations of this kind must therefore establish both the security of the systems and individual criminal responsibility.
Earlier public reporting by NOS had already stated that the civil servant had been arrested and that the Public Prosecution Service suspected him of passing on data. The public prosecution-service page consulted for this update confirms the scale of the allegations and the hearing dates, but does not mention the precise twelve-year sentence sought that is cited in the new headlines. There has also been no court ruling yet.
The defendant is presumed innocent until the judge has established guilt. The coming days of hearings should make clear which searches can be proven, how the connection with individual violent incidents is substantiated and what role the two co-defendants allegedly played, according to the Public Prosecution Service.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The Public Prosecution Service suspects an Amsterdam civil servant of searching for and selling personal data.
- The Public Prosecution Service says at least 95 violent incidents can be linked to searches.
- The court is hearing the case in September 2026; there has been no ruling yet.
Left
Arguments The case shows that digital security is not merely a technical problem. The government must protect citizens from the misuse of public data, maintain strict oversight and put victims first.
Values Equal protection, public responsibility and the protection of vulnerable citizens.
Consequences A broad approach could lead to stricter access controls, better support for victims and greater investment in public digital infrastructure.
Centre
Arguments The government must properly secure access to data, while also ensuring that essential public services do not become unworkable. Criminal responsibility must be established for each proven act.
Values Legal certainty, proportionality and reliable institutions.
Consequences The emphasis is on auditable logging, independent oversight and careful legal proceedings without collective blame for civil servants.
Right
Arguments Anyone who abuses government systems to help criminals undermines the state and must be dealt with firmly. Desensitisation to violence and data leaks can only be prevented through clear penalties and personal liability.
Values Public order, security and deterrence.
Consequences A tougher approach could strengthen trust in government, but requires evidence that individual guilt and the consequences of each incident have been convincingly established.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The text is limited to what the Public Prosecution Service and an earlier NOS report have publicly confirmed. The reported sentence sought is explicitly marked as not independently verified and is not presented as fact.
- confirmed The case is being heard by the Amsterdam District Court. — Mentioned in the Public Prosecution Service's public hearing schedule. source
- confirmed The defendant is alleged to have searched for addresses and names between January 2024 and May 2025. — Description of the allegations by the Public Prosecution Service. source
- confirmed The Public Prosecution Service links at least 95 violent incidents to searches. — The Public Prosecution Service cites 95 incidents and specifies the categories. source
- confirmed The defendant is legally presumed innocent until guilt has been established. — A general principle of criminal proceedings; the sources refer to a defendant. source
Editor's note
The hearing, the allegations and the link to at least 95 violent incidents have been confirmed by the Public Prosecution Service. The precise twelve-year sentence sought and any positions taken by the defence could not be verified in an openly available primary source; the status is therefore insufficient_sources.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- de Volkskrant — „amsterdam corruptie”
- RTL Nieuws — „amsterdam corruptie”
- NOS — „amsterdam corruptie”