Four members of the now banned motorcycle club Satudarah have been sentenced to prison terms of up to five years. They were sentenced for participating in a criminal organization and all had a leadership position within the club, the Overijssel court reported.
The highest penalty was given to Michel B., who co-founded the club in 1990. Two other members were sentenced to four years in prison and are also suspected of money laundering. The fourth convict was sentenced to 42 months in prison.
According to the judge, the four men, along with others, led Satudarah, an organization that had the intent to undertake criminal activities, for eight years. “Within the club, extortion, (life) threat, (serious) assault, money laundering, illegal possession of weapons and drug trafficking were part of the usual course of business,” the judge said.
The judge calls the four decisive “in creating and maintaining a culture of lawlessness, violence and intimidation”.
Bad standing
As an example of the criminal nature of the organization, the court cited statements from witnesses who used a “bad standingwere kicked out of the club. This is an expulsion from the club if someone in the eyes of the management has done something to harm the club.
at a bad standing violence was used, and the expelled members had to pay a ‘fine’ of 5500 euros and in some cases also hand in their motorcycle. The money of the bad standing was eventually laundered, according to the judge.
The Public Prosecution Service demanded prison sentences of up to 7 years against the four men. Since 2018, the motorcycle club as an organization has been banned in the Netherlands. The lawyers for the accused have announced that they will appeal. The trial against a fifth suspect in this case is likely to follow next spring.
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