In recent years, the Netherlands – long known for its progressive policies, efficient governance, and secure digital infrastructure – has found itself facing a new and deeply troubling form of organized crime. What began as a simple act of corruption – a government employee leaking personal information – has escalated into a national security nightmare. Prosecutors now allege that stolen data from Dutch government systems has been weaponized by criminals, helping trigger a surge of shootings and bombings across the country.

At the center of this unfolding scandal is a shocking case: a city clerk accused of selling sensitive information from Amsterdam’s municipal databases to data brokers, who in turn supplied it to organized crime groups. The case has revealed the disturbing emergence of a “shadow market” for stolen personal data – and the horrifying violence that can result when government information falls into the wrong hands.

The story began with what seemed like an innocuous text message: “Call me tomorrow, I will bring you the porridge.” It was sent in July 2024 to Jim B., a 47-year-old civil servant working in Amsterdam’s debt collection department. But the message wasn’t about breakfast – it was code for money.

The sender, prosecutors allege, was 41-year-old Rishi K., a self-styled “information broker.” Acting as a middleman between government insiders and the criminal underworld, he allegedly paid Jim B. for access to personal data – home addresses, license plate numbers, and other sensitive information. According to the Dutch Public Prosecutor’s Office, Jim B. illegally accessed the records of more than 2,600 citizens. Many of those data lookups, investigators claim, were followed by violent attacks – including shootings and explosions.

In total, Jim B. is accused of earning over €100,000 from the sale of personal information. Rishi K., for his part, allegedly paid him about €50 for each query and sold the data on to unknown buyers for up to ten times that amount.

The information was drawn from the Personal Records Database, which contains detailed personal information on every Dutch citizen and legal resident. In the wrong hands, such information is gold – it allows criminals to locate rivals, intimidate witnesses, and target individuals involved in drug feuds.

The case, now being tried at the Amsterdam District Court, is the first in Dutch history where a government employee has been charged with complicity in a wave of violent........

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