Willem Frederik Holleeder was born on May 29, 1958, in Amsterdam, Netherlands. He grew up in a working-class neighborhood in the city, where he was exposed to a life of crime from a young age. His father, Wim Holleeder, worked for the famous Heineken brewery, but was eventually fired due to his struggles with alcoholism. This early exposure to criminal behavior and instability at home had a lasting impact on Holleeder's future choices.
Willem Holleeder's criminal career began with the infamous kidnapping of Freddy Heineken, the heir to the Heineken beer fortune, in 1983. Alongside his school friend and accomplice, Cor van Hout, Holleeder orchestrated the abduction for a ransom of nearly $20 million. This brazen act catapulted him from being an unknown street criminal to a notorious mastermind in the criminal underworld.
Despite successfully obtaining the ransom, Holleeder and van Hout were eventually apprehended by the authorities. Holleeder was convicted for his role in the kidnapping and spent 11 years behind bars. However, this was only the beginning of his criminal exploits.
After his release from prison, Holleeder continued his criminal activities, engaging in various extortion schemes and acts of violence. One of his more notable crimes was the extortion of Willem Endstra, a prominent Dutch real estate tycoon. This illegal activity ultimately led to Endstra's murder in 2004, after a dispute with Holleeder.
Subsequently, Holleeder was sentenced to 9 years in prison in 2007. Despite his incarceration, he continued to be a figure of fear and intrigue in the criminal underworld. He was released in 2012, only to be arrested again in 2013, 2015, and 2016.
Holleeder's violent spree finally came to an end in July 2019 when he was convicted of five counts of murder and one count of manslaughter, resulting in a life sentence. This marked the culmination of a life marked by crime, violence, and manipulation.
Throughout his criminal career, Holleeder was known by the nickname "De Neus" or "the nose," a reference to his distinctively prominent nose. His relationship with his school friend and accomplice, Cor van Hout, was both lucrative and ultimately destructive, as the two engaged in a series of high-profile crimes that captured the attention of the public and law enforcement.
Willem Holleeder's story serves as a cautionary tale of the destructive power of greed, ambition, and violence. His rise from humble beginnings to infamy in the criminal world highlights the complex interplay of personal choices, circumstances, and the allure of illicit power.
He joins the ranks of other notorious Dutch criminals, such as Joran Van Der Sloot, who have left a dark mark on society through their actions. Willem Holleeder's life is a testament to the enduring impact of crime and the often tragic consequences that result from a life lived on the wrong side of the law.
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