Frits van Eerd, former Chief Executive Officer of Jumbo – the Dutch supermarket chain that sponsored Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen for nearly a decade – has been sentenced to two years in prison by the court in Groningen. The decision was handed down this morning and marks the conclusion of a high-profile legal case that has attracted significant attention in the Netherlands and in motorsport circles.
Judges found the former CEO guilty of passive corruption, document forgery, and large-scale money laundering. According to the court’s findings, Frits van Eerd had obtained goods by paying with sponsorship invoices, made use of falsified documents, and participated in laundering substantial amounts of money. The judicial investigation determined that these funds were of illicit origin, with van Eerd linked to criminals involved in serious drug-related offences. Investigators also discovered that he was concealing €450,000 in cash, part of which was found hidden inside his home refrigerator.
The court ruled that van Eerd had abused his corporate position, enriching himself with money and goods at the expense of Jumbo. Notably, the prison sentence imposed was even harsher than the penalty requested by the Public Prosecutor. At the end of June, prosecutors had called for a 24-month sentence, eight months of which would be suspended, but the court decided on a full 24 months of incarceration without suspension.
It is important to note that Max Verstappen and his management team have had no association with Jumbo since early 2024. The partnership had already been under strain since late 2022, when van Eerd was first arrested on suspicion of money laundering and his motorsport-related investments came under scrutiny. Authorities suspected that these funds were linked to VAT fraud schemes. In the wake of his arrest, his successor as CEO, Ton van Veen, moved swiftly to cut all ties between Jumbo and professional sports. This decision ended the company’s sponsorship activities not only in Formula 1 but also in professional cycling, where Jumbo had supported the Jumbo–Visma team. The cycling squad achieved major victories, including Primož Roglič’s win in the 2023 Giro d’Italia and Jonas Vingegaard’s Tour de France triumphs in 2022 and 2023. The relationship between Jumbo and Verstappen had begun in 2014, when the young Dutch driver was showcasing his talent in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship.
Frits van Eerd’s involvement in motorsport extended beyond the role of a sponsor. He had a personal passion for racing and took part in competitive events himself. His career included competing in Formula Renault back in 1993, participating in the Dakar Rally, and founding Racing Team Nederland in 2017. With this endurance racing outfit, he achieved notable successes such as winning the 6 Hours of Fuji in 2019 and claiming the FIA World Endurance Championship title in the LMP2 Pro/Am category. Over the years, he shared the cockpit with former Formula 1 drivers like Giedo van der Garde and Nyck de Vries, further cementing his deep ties to the racing world.
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