The financier investigated for the Plus Ultra case will have to appear every two days at a court in Mallorca

PalmaNational Court judge José Luis Calama released Dutch financier Simón Leendert Verhoeven this Friday with precautionary measures. Verhoeven is under investigation in the Plus Ultra case and was arrested in Germany following a search and arrest warrant. Among the imposed measures, he must appear before a court every two days, is prohibited from leaving Spain, must surrender his passport, and must report any change of address. Verhoeven has established his residence in Mallorca.

The magistrate adopted this decision against the criteria of the Prosecutor's Office, which had requested a one-million-euro bail for his release, and the popular accusations, coordinated by the PP, which had demanded he be kept in provisional prison.

In the interlocutory order, Calama points out that he does not see “evidence in the case that would allow for the existence of a flight risk” on the part of Verhoeven, a risk he considers “essential” to justify such a serious measure as provisional prison. The judge believes that any potential flight risk can be “guaranteed and mitigated” through less restrictive measures.

Verhoeven was transferred this Friday morning from the Soto del Real prison to the National Court, after having been handed over on Thursday by the German authorities. He had spent the night in prison by decision of the same magistrate.

The judge sees evidence of criminal liability

Despite agreeing to his release, Calama considers that there are “sufficient grounds to consider Verhoeven presumably criminally responsible” regarding the crimes for which he is charged.

The financier, however, has decided to exercise his right to remain silent during the judicial appearance. According to legal sources cited by EFE, Verhoeven has argued that he had not yet been able to read the case file and has offered to testify in a few days. His judicial situation remains, therefore, conditional upon compliance with the precautionary measures agreed upon by the judge, among which the obligation to appear before a court every 48 hours stands out.

Two gold ingots and jewelry at his home in Mallorca

Verhoeven is linked to Mallorca because his home in Santa Maria del Camí was searched in October 2024 as part of a letter rogatory from Switzerland. During the search, two gold bars, twelve luxury watches, and numerous jewels were found there.

According to the case summary, the Dutch financier allegedly managed, together with Luis Felipe Baca Arbulu —arrested on the Caribbean island of Aruba—, a criminal organization allegedly dedicated to money laundering and related to the Plus Ultra case investigation.

The judicial documentation indicates that Verhoeven acknowledged before the Geneva prosecutor to be the owner of three companies —Allpa Wira Trading UK, Wailea Investment LTD, and Valerian Corporation— through which he allegedly formalized loan contracts in favor of Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas.

Loans to Plus Ultra, in the focus of the investigation

According to the summary, the Swiss company Allpa Wira Trading AG is the parent company of the British Allpa Wira Trading UK LTD, which appears as a lending company for Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas. The activity of the Allpa Wira Trading AG account, according to the investigation, was related to financial operations linked to the trade of raw materials.

The Plus Ultra case is investigating, among other issues, the origin and the path of the funds linked to the loans granted to the airline and the possible criminal liabilities of those under investigation. The release of Verhoeven does not mean, according to the judicial resolution, the end of his status as a person under investigation: the magistrate considers that there is sufficient evidence to maintain the charges and establishes the precautionary measures that he must comply with while the investigation continues.