The FIOD has arrested two suspects for breaching sanctions legislation

The FIOD has arrested two men on suspicion of breaching the Sanctions Act. They are suspected of (indirectly) providing economic resources to EU entities subject to sanctions were carried out at three office premises in Enschede and Almere, as well as at two data centres in Dronten and Schiphol-Reykjavik. During the searches, items seized included documentation, laptops, telephones and more than 800 servers.

The criminal investigation focuses on a web hosting company that was founded on 10 February 2022, two weeks before the russian invasion of Ukraine. In the years that followed, this company was used, among other things, to facilitate destabilising activities directed against the European Union, including interference, cyberattacks and the dissemination of disinformation.

On 20 May 2025, this web hosting company was added to the European Union’s sanctions list. Around the same time, a significant part of the sanctioned company’s technical infrastructure was transferred to a newly established Dutch company.

The FIOD’s investigation indicates that this new company is in fact a front for entities subject to sanctions. The director and (indirectly) sole shareholder of this company is a 57-year-old suspect.

In addition, another Dutch company plays a facilitating role. This company, of which a 39-year-old suspect is the director and sole shareholder, provides the internet connection for the servers of the first-mentioned new company.

Source: FIOD