A request for legal assistance by American authorities led the Dutch public prosecutor to look into potential bribery at the Google data centre in Eemshaven.
After being contacted by American authorities who were looking for information on former Google executive Simon Tusha, the Dutch public prosecutor began their own investigation.
According to RTV Noord, real estate entrepreneur Rudy S., a 62-year-old man from Utrecht, is suspected of paying 1.7 million euros in bribes to Tusha. Rudy S. used to be the top executive at TCN, a real estate business which owns two data centres in Groningen and Eemshaven, among other properties.
Dagblad van het Noorden reports that between 2008 and 2010, a new rental contract was negotiated between TCN and Google for the TCN-owned data hotel in Eemshaven. In exchange for a financial kickback, Tusha allegedly guaranteed that the rental agreement would be extended for years to come. The contract extensions may have increased the value of TCN’s property.
Rudy S. will appear in court in September. His wife, Saskia van B. (51) is also accused of involvement with the case: she is suspected of money laundering, fraud and participating in a criminal organization.
Tusha has admitted to accepting bribes for the data centre in Eemshaven and another data hotel in England. According to Rudy S.’s attorney, Tusha’s statements are not entirely accurate and the former Google executive is an “intimidating criminal”.