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81-431: Willem Frederik Holleeder (born 29 May 1958) is a Dutch gangster, outlaw biker and convicted criminal. He is nicknamed De Neus ( The Nose ) because of the size of his nose. In 1983, Holleeder was sentenced to eleven years' imprisonment for his involvement in the kidnapping of Heineken president Freddy Heineken for a 35-million- gulden (approximately €16 million, or US$ 19.5 million) ransom. Then, in 2007, Holleeder

162-616: A hoax , intended to make fools of those outside the outlaw biker world, and also to serve the purpose of provoking outrage among conservative public and authorities. Frequently, additional patches may involve symbols, such as the use of the Iron Cross , Nazi swastikas , the Sig Rune insignia of the Schutzstaffel or the Totenkopf . These may not indicate Nazi sympathies , but serve to express

243-452: A Dutch rapper. Various politicians condemned his appearance, saying that Holleeder should not become a cult hero. In addition, from September 2012 until 7 March 2013 Holleeder wrote a weekly column for the Dutch magazine Nieuwe Revu . In February 2013 Holleeder was a co-founder of the motorcycle club No Surrender MC and served as vice-president of its Amsterdam branch. In May 2013, Holleeder

324-591: A Hells Angels-affiliated club called the Death Riders) at a motorcycle shop in Montreal. This ongoing feud largely stemmed over territory and the narcotics trade in Quebec, while also being fueled further by long-standing rivalries, deep-seated hatred and animosities between major players in the Quebec criminal underworld at that time. To provide a general idea of the criminal underworld involvement, it's essential to recall that

405-581: A club studied was 34. There are black clubs, white clubs, and Mexican and other Spanish-speaking clubs. Bikers in American prisons, as prisoners generally do, band together along racial lines. It is claimed that racial discrimination within clubs has led to creation of rival clubs in the past, such as the Mongols Motorcycle Club after members were rejected by the local Hells Angels chapter. Some clubs or individual chapters are now multi-racial, but

486-410: A clubhouse or private compound . Clubhouses, which are often fortified and equipped with a sophisticated security system, serve as a meeting place for a club or chapter. In order to meet the expenditures of running an outlaw motorcycle club, namely the renting, purchase or furnishing of a clubhouse, groups raise funds primarily through membership dues and club fines, the sale of various items to members,

567-425: A dominance myth of women by men and amplifying the deviance of the male club members. These myths about the women are: that they are subservient working-class women, used as objects for club sexual rites ; are hard-bitten, unattractive, and politically conservative; and that they are 'money makers' for the biker men and clubs, i.e., prostitutes, topless barmaids or strippers who are forced to hand over their money to

648-506: A gang (known as the Curaçao No Limit Soldiers) to kill his sisters Astrid and Sonja as well as Investigative Journalist Peter R. de Vries , a witness in the mega-trial. Holleeder dismissed the charge as "nonsense", insisting that it would not be in his "interest" to kill his sisters. The gang member who informed the authorities about the plot subsequently recanted his confession, though Astrid believes that he did so only because he

729-534: A high-profile criminal leader. Several million guilders of the Heineken ransom were never traced, and may have been part of the initial sum he and Cor van Hout hoped to use for a new extortion empire; there are said to have been up to 24 people in his crime ring. After his release from prison in 1990, Holleeder was close to Willem van Boxtel , the president of the Hells Angels Amsterdam chapter. Initially, he

810-527: A large enough national impact to be prosecuted under the U.S. Federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) statute. The California Attorney General also lists the Mongols and the Vagos as outlaw motorcycle gangs. The FBI asserts that outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMGs) support themselves primarily through drug dealing, trafficking in stolen goods, and extortion , and that they fight over territory and

891-566: A larger one-percent club and are sometimes required to wear a "support patch" on their vests that shows their affiliation with the dominant regional club. Smaller clubs are often allowed to form with the permission of the dominant regional club. Clubs that resist have been forcibly disbanded by being told to hand over their colors on threat of aggression. In Australia and the United States, many MCs have established statewide MC coalitions. These coalitions are composed of MCs who have chapters in

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972-589: A meeting of the leaders of various Hells Angels chapters and other California clubs in 1960 in which the various clubs parleyed over the mutual problem of police harassment. The clubs voted to ally under the patch. In 1963, the Outlaws became the first club east of the Mississippi River to begin wearing the "1%" emblem. Other patches may be worn by members, including phrases and symbols. The style or meaning of these other patches can vary between clubs. Some, such as

1053-410: A one-piece patch for nonconformist social clubs, two-piece patch for clubs paying dues , a three-piece patch for outlaw clubs or side patches. The three-piece patch consists of the club logo and the top and bottom patches, usually crescent shaped, which are referred to as rockers. The number and arrangement of patches is somewhat indicative of the nature of the club. Since many motorcycle clubs wear

1134-592: A piece of shrapnel penetrated his head. Throughout the 1990s, the province of Quebec witnessed violent confrontations between rivaling outlaw biker gangs with activities that ranged from homicides to bombings. Such violence and brutality was a decade-long conflict between the Hells Angels and the Rock Machine, better known as the "1994 Biker Wars." The Quebec Biker Wars officially began on 13 July 1994, when three (3) masked-men shot and killed Pierre D'aoust (member of

1215-535: A prosecutor's request to seize ownership of the Mongols Motorcycle Club logo and name, saying the government had no right to the trademarks. Federal prosecutors had requested, as part of a larger criminal indictment, a court order giving the government ownership of the logo in order to prevent members from wearing the club's colors. Certain large one-percent MCs have rivalries between each other and will fight over territory and other issues. Sometimes smaller clubs are forced into or willingly accept supportive roles for

1296-564: A set of ideals that purport to celebrate freedom , nonconformity to mainstream culture, and loyalty to the biker group. In the United States, such motorcycle clubs (MCs) are considered "outlaw" not necessarily because they engage in criminal activity, but because they are not sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) and do not adhere to the AMA's rules. Instead, the clubs have their own set of bylaws reflecting

1377-475: A single, large MC are called charters or chapters , and the first chapter established for an MC is referred to as the mother chapter . The mother chapter serves as the ruling body of the club. Sometimes, the president of the mother chapter serves as the president of the entire MC, and sets club policy on a variety of issues, whereas other clubs either elect or appoint a National President for this role. Larger motorcycle clubs often acquire real estate for use as

1458-497: A skull and crossbones patch, or the motto "Respect Few, Fear None", are worn in some clubs by members who commit murder or other acts of violence on behalf of the club. There are also wings or biker's wings , which are earned similarly to jump wings or pilot's wings , but with various color-coded meanings, e.g. in some clubs, it is said that a member who has had sex with a woman with venereal disease can wear green wings . It has also been suggested that these definitions are

1539-517: A vote of the membership and swear some level of allegiance to the club. Some clubs have a unique club patch (cut or top rocker) adorned with the term MC that are worn on the rider's vest, known as a kutte . In these clubs, some amount of hazing may occur during the early stages (i.e., hang-around, prospecting) ranging from the mandatory performance of menial labor tasks for full patch members to sophomoric pranks, and, in rare cases with some outlaw motorcycle clubs, acts of violence. During this time,

1620-499: Is also afraid of her brother. In July 2019, the Court in Amsterdam convicted Holleeder after a lengthy and extensive trial at the age of 61 to life imprisonment for his involvement in a series of five murders, including that of his former friend and criminal associate Cor van Hout, and one case of manslaughter, thus following the demand of the prosecutor and brushing off his denials. The trial

1701-409: Is frequently cited as evidence that these clubs do not deserve their negative media image. Outlaw clubs have been accused of using charity rides to mask their criminal nature . The American Motorcyclist Association has frequently complained of the bad publicity for motorcycling in general caused by outlaw clubs, and they have said that the presence of outlaw clubs at charity events has actually harmed

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1782-510: Is indeed in poor health and may not survive the present sentence. Whilst under detention in 2008, he was arrested for alleged involvement in the murder of Yugoslav drug dealer Serge Miranovic in 2006. Holleeder was found guilty of extortion and sentenced to nine years in prison, at a time held in Nieuw Vosseveld . His subsequent appeal was turned down by the appeals court in July 2009. Holleeder

1863-744: The Bandidos , the Blue Angels, the Hells Angels and the Outlaws as criminal motorcycle gangs. Outlaw motorcycle clubs first began to appear in Ontario and Quebec in the early 1950s. In 1978, the Criminal Intelligence Service Canada launched Project Focus, an investigation into motorcycle gangs. By 2002, there were 26 motorcycle gangs operating in Canada, the largest and most powerful of which being

1944-448: The Dutch media . However, Zeegers was found to have died of an accidental overdose of the drug ecstasy . According to a story in the Dutch newspaper, Volkskrant , Zeegers was found to have ecstasy in his body that consisted of 97% pure MDMA , which is extremely high. The chances of dying from an MDMA overdose is around one in 100,000. Zeegers' Brazilian girlfriend, who bought the drugs,

2025-491: The Hells Angels . Canadian biker gangs are involved in money laundering, intimidation, assault, attempted murder, murder, fraud, theft, counterfeiting, loan-sharking, extortion, prostitution, escort agencies, strip clubs, and the trafficking of illegal weapons, stolen goods, contraband, and illicit alcohol and cigarettes. Some of the other major biker organizations (aside from Hells Angels) that have operated in Canada, include

2106-660: The Port of Montreal , but also as the Hells Angels have sought to obtain control of the street level trade from other rival or independent gangs in various regions of Canada. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police Gazette, quoting from the Provincial Court of Manitoba , defines these groups as: "Any group of motorcycle enthusiasts who have voluntarily made a commitment to band together and abide by their organizations' rigorous rules enforced by violence, who engage in activities that bring them and their club into serious conflict with society and

2187-644: The Supreme Court of the Netherlands , the highest court in the country. In 2024, the Supreme Court affirmed the life sentence originally imposed on Holleeder. Outlaw biker An outlaw motorcycle club , known colloquially as a biker club or bikie club (in Australia), is a motorcycle subculture generally centered on the use of cruiser motorcycles, particularly Harley-Davidsons and choppers , and

2268-487: The Warlocks MC of Pennsylvania sued over their exclusion from a charity event. The primary visual identification of a member of an outlaw motorcycle club is the vest adorned with a large club-specific patch or patches predominantly located in the middle of the back. The patches will contain a club logo, the name of the club, and the letters MC, and a possible state, province, or other chapter identification. This garment and

2349-468: The illegal drug trade and collect $ 1 billion in illegal income annually. Motorcycle gangs frequently begin mutually beneficial partnerships with independent criminals, and maintain a large network of associates by doing so. Crimes are typically carried out by associates rather than "full patch" members in order to protect the club from implication by law enforcement. In 1985 a three-year, eleven-state FBI operation named Roughrider culminated in

2430-414: The probative value of such items is far outweighed by their unfairly prejudicial effects on the defence. Some outlaw motorcycle clubs can be distinguished by a "1%" or "Diamond" shape patch worn on the colors. This is said to refer to a comment made in 1960 by William Berry, a former president of the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), that 99% of motorcyclists were law-abiding citizens, implying

2511-458: The 1960s. Here, they are commonly referred to as "bikie gangs". At present, there exist an abundance of outlaw motorcycle clubs in Australia - many of which are homegrown clubs (founded within the country) and have since expanded overseas. However, a good amount of the country's groups are chapters of international one-percenter clubs which originated outside of Commonwealth of Australia such as

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2592-527: The 1980s. Thomas van der Bijl, who was murdered in his bar in Amsterdam in April 2006, made these allegations in a deposition before the Dutch national police. Holleeder's 2006 trial was dubbed the trial of the century . His lawyer, Bram Moszkowicz , argued that media depictions of Holleeder as one of the "topcriminelen" had prejudiced the case against him. However, Moszkowicz was forced to resign after media allegations of conflict of interest , since he had also been

2673-603: The 1990s. In 1992, Belgium's Blue Angels club became the first international club in the country when they merged with the Blue Angels of Scotland. The Hells Angels opened its first Belgian chapter in Ghent in 1997. In 1999, the Outlaws formed its first chapter in Belgium through a "patch over" of an indigenous Outlaws club based in Mechelen . The Belgian Federal Police has designated

2754-603: The Hells Angels and the Mongols MC. The year 2007 saw an increase of the country's amount of OMCG chapters. According to the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission , there are (at least) 38 outlaw motorcycle gangs operating across the nation as of 2020. Outlaw biker clubs first began to appear in Belgium in the 1970s, and the Belgian biker scene continued to be dominated by small local clubs until

2835-750: The Hells Angels in Quebec at that time (i.e. 1994) were backed by Vito Rizzuto (of the Montreal Mafia), while the Rock Machine were affiliated with the criminal coalition known as the Alliance Against the Angels (otherwise known as the Dark Circle). The two central figures in the 1994 conflict were the leaders of the two warring gangs (Hells Angels and the Rock Machine): Maurice "Mom" Boucher (leader of Quebec's Hells Angels); and Salvatore Cazzetta (leader of

2916-401: The Hells Angels. After the Rock Machine emerged in 1986, they quickly became the number one rival of the Hells Angels, and a full-blown turf war between the two biker gangs erupted in the 1990s; unfortunately, claiming more than 150 individual lives, including two (2) prison guards and an innocent 11-year-old boy named Daniel Desrochers, who died several days after a planted car bomb exploded and

2997-507: The Rock Machine). The extreme levels of violence, assassinations, bombings, arson attacks, fly-by-fire attacks eventually led to the creation and passing of both Bill C-95 in 1997 and Bill C-24 in 2001 – setting forth harsher punishments and penalties for members of gangs and organized crime groups. Over the next several weeks, the violence reached a peak. In one week in September 1995, there

3078-498: The brokerage of club shares, sponsoring parties and organizing motorcycle trips. Some clubs also maintain a fund for the legal defense of its members. Some "biker" clubs employ a process whereby members must pass several stages such as "friend of the club", "hang-around", and "prospect", on their way to becoming full-patch (see explanation of 'patching' below) members. The actual stages and membership process can and often do vary widely from club to club. Often, an individual must pass

3159-401: The club's patches. Hang-arounds or support clubs wear support patches with the club's colors. A member must closely guard their colors for allowing one's colors to fall into the hands of an outsider is an act of disgrace and may result in loss of membership in a club, or some other punishment. The colors worn by members of some motorcycle clubs will sometimes follow a convention of using either

3240-413: The club. A 1990 paper noted the changing role of women within outlaw motorcycle clubs, and a 2000 paper stated that they now have agency and political savvy, reframing the narratives of their lives. "We did it. We showed them we are real women dealing with real men. I'd much prefer to be living with an OMC member than some dork who is a pawn in the system", said one woman who felt she and her peers had "set

3321-572: The country in April 2009. The first outlaw biker clubs in Germany were established by American military stationed in the country, including the Bones MC, founded in 1968, and the Ghost Riders MC, formed in 1972. Bram Zeegers Zeegers testified in court over two days that Holleeder and his associates had extorted millions of dollars from Endstra between 2000 and 2004. He also testified about

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3402-528: The denigration of women, maintaining a macho image, and the heavy use of drugs and alcohol. Many non-outlaw motorcycle clubs adopt similar insignia, colors, organizational structures, and trappings to outlaw clubs, making it difficult for outsiders (including police ) to tell the groups apart. Much of the mystique and many of the unwritten rules, values, and ideals of non-outlaw clubs are believed to come from outlaw clubs. Outlaw clubs are often prominent at charity events, such as toy runs. Charitable giving

3483-415: The entire club. This appears to make these groups extremely gender segregated. This has not always been the case, as during the 1950s and 1960s, some Hells Angels chapters had female members. Academic research has criticized the methodology of such previous studies as being "vague and hazy", and lacking in participant demography. Such reports may have made clear statements and authoritative analyses about

3564-553: The following: The late 1970s and early 1980s were considered to be the "golden age" in Western Canada for independent outlaw motorcycle clubs. Outlaw motorcycle clubs first appeared in the Canadian province of Quebec during the early 1950s. By the year 1968, the province was home to at least 350 of such groups – with most of, if not all, being "home-grown" – rather than having origins outside of Canada (or even Quebec). Some of

3645-412: The gang. These clubs are referred to as support clubs, satellite clubs or puppet clubs. They act as auxiliary groups, providing support to the larger club by propelling their influence further, acting as sources of recruitment and various other ways in return for protection and to bolster their reputations. Support clubs can also be used to help the principal club facilitate criminal activities. Although

3726-515: The hierarchical orders and bonds of "amoral familism" of other criminal organizations such as the Mafia. U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agent William Queen , who infiltrated the Mongols , wrote that what makes a group like them different from the Mafia is that crime and violence are not used as expedients in pursuit of profit, but that the priorities are reversed. Mayhem and lawlessness are inherent in living "The Life" and

3807-471: The kidnappers—Cor van Hout, Willem Holleeder, Jan Boellaard, Frans Meijer, and Martin Erkamps—were all eventually traced and served prison sentences. During this period, Holleeder met many other gangsters, including Dennis Stewart and Yvon Lodewijks, who was later accused of ordering the murder of Holleeder's brother-in-law and co-criminal Cor van Hout. After serving the Heineken sentence, Holleeder emerged as

3888-556: The largest OMG bust in history, with the confiscation of $ 2 million worth of illegal drugs, as well as an illegal arsenal of weapons, ranging from Uzi submachine guns to antitank weapons. In October 2008, the FBI announced the end of a six-month undercover operation by agents into the narcotics trafficking by the Mongols Motorcycle Club. The bust went down with 160 search warrants and 110 arrest warrants Canada, especially, has in

3969-506: The last one percent were outlaws. The alleged AMA comment, supposedly in reference to the Hollister riot of 1947, is denied by the AMA, who claim to have no record of such a statement to the press and that the story is a misquote. Whether the original quote is true or not, the "1%" patch is worn only by clubs characterized by criminality. Outlaw clubs began wearing the "1%" patch after Hells Angels president Sonny Barger convened

4050-509: The late 20th century experienced a significant upsurge in crime involving outlaw motorcycle clubs, most notably in what has been dubbed the Quebec Biker War , which has involved more than 150 murders (plus a young bystander killed by an exploding car bomb ), 84 bombings , and 130 cases of arson . The increased violence in Canada has been attributed to turf wars over the illegal drug trafficking business, specifically relating to access to

4131-503: The law". The Hells Angels sponsors charitable events for Toys for Tots in an attempt to legitimize themselves with public opinion. Contrary to other criminal organizations, OMGs operate on an individual basis instead of top-down, which is how supporters can claim that only some members are committing crimes. Belonging guarantees to each member the option of running criminal activity, using other members as support—the main characteristic of OMGs being "amoral individualism", in contrast to

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4212-447: The lawyer for Willem Endstra. Among the witnesses in the trial was lawyer Bram Zeegers , who testified that Holleeder had been extorting millions of euros from Endstra between 2000 and 2004. A week after the testimony, Zeegers was found dead of a drug overdose. In late 2007, Holleeder underwent a heart valve surgery; initially, reports of his failing health were thought to be a hoax, but present medical opinion appears to suggest that he

4293-510: The money they obtain by illegal means is only wanted as a way to perpetuate that lifestyle. Recently, authorities have tried tactics aimed at undermining the gang identity and breaking up the membership. But in June 2011 the High Court of Australia overturned a law that outlawed crime-focused motorcycle clubs and required members to avoid contact with one another. In the U.S., a Federal judge rejected

4374-662: The most notable outlaw biker gangs at this time were Satan's Choice Motorcycle Club , Popeye Moto Club , Devil's Disciples Motorcycle Club (unrelated to the American group of the same name ), the Gitans, the Atomes, the Missiles MC, and of course, Hells Angels. The largest, most-feared chapter of Hells Angels was formed in Montreal, Quebec in 1977, when a biker gang called the Popeyes joined up

4455-651: The murder of both Willem Endstra and John Mieremet , who was shot and killed in Thailand on 2 November 2005. Holleeder's name keeps turning up in this connection although three suspects in the Endstra murder, Ali N. and C. Özgür of Alkmaar and Cleon D. from Almere have been released. According to Endstra, Holleeder was involved in 25 murders, including that of Cor van Hout. The Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reported on 16 July 2006 that Holleeder and Cor van Hout had planned to kidnap Prince Bernhard instead of Freddy Heineken in

4536-537: The needy by driving down public participation and reducing donations. Events such as a 2005 shootout between rival outlaw clubs in the midst of a charity toy drive in California have raised fears about the participation of outlaw biker clubs in charity events. Authorities have attempted to ban outlaw clubs from charity events, or to restrict the wearing of colors at events in order to avert the sort of inter-club violence that has happened at previous charity runs. In 2002,

4617-406: The new member affirms his loyalty to the club and its members. The final logo patch is then awarded. Full members are often referred to as "full patch members" or "patchholders" and the step of attaining full membership can be referred to as "being patched". The majority of members of outlaw motorcycle clubs have no serious criminal record, and express their outlaw status on a social level, equating

4698-665: The number of "white supremacist biker clubs are growing nationwide", according to the ADL . Many members of outlaw motorcycle clubs engage in criminal activities and organized crime and "pose a serious domestic threat". Law enforcement agencies perceive such individuals and motorcycle clubs as being unique among criminal groups because they maintain websites and businesses, identify themselves through patches and tattoos, write and obey constitutions and bylaws, trademark their club names and logos, and even hold publicity campaigns aimed at improving their public image. The term "outlaw motorcycle gang"

4779-469: The outlaw biker culture. The U.S. Department of Justice defines "outlaw motorcycle gangs" (OMG) as "organizations whose members use their motorcycle clubs as conduits for criminal enterprises". While organizations may vary, the typical internal organization of a motorcycle club consists of a president , vice president , treasurer , secretary , road captain, and sergeant-at-arms (sometimes known as enforcer ). In some clubs, localized groups of

4860-620: The outlaw biker's total rejection of social constraints, and desire for the shock value among those who fail to understand the biker way. Most outlaw motorcycle clubs do not allow women to become full-patch members. Rather, in some 1%er clubs, women have in the past been portrayed as submissive or victims to the men, treated as property, forced into prostitution or street-level drug trafficking, and often physically and sexually abused, their roles as being those of obedient followers and their status as objects. These women are claimed to pass over any pay they receive to their partners or sometimes to

4941-476: The outlaw motorcycle club subculture has a tendency to be associated with the United States, a large number of regional scenes have emerged transcontinentally within countless nations across the globe. Europol has reported that there has been steady growth in the membership of outlaw motorcycle clubs worldwide since the year 2005. Outlaw motorcycle clubs are reported to have first appeared in Australia during

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5022-502: The patches themselves are referred to as the colors or cut (a term taken from the early practice of cutting the collars or sleeves from a denim or leather jacket). Many non-outlaw motorcycle riding clubs such as the Harley Owners Group also wear patches on the back of their vests, without including the letters MC . The club patches always remain property of the club itself, not the member, and only members are allowed to wear

5103-422: The prospect may wear the club name on the back of their vest, but not the full logo, though this practice may vary from club to club. To become a full member, the prospect or probate must be voted on by the rest of the full club members. Successful admission usually requires more than a simple majority, and some clubs may reject a prospect or a probate for a single dissenting vote. A formal induction follows, in which

5184-648: The record straight". One woman in 2001 described the previous work done by men about women in the outlaw motorcycle club world by saying "the men that wrote that must be meatheads". They [women] are part of the scene because they want to be and enjoy it. These women have broken from society's stereotypically defined roles and find freedom with the biker world. High-profile outlaw bikers have historically been white and their clubs are typically exclusively racially homogeneous. Other sources state outright, that "With few exceptions, blacks are excluded from membership or riding with one-percenter biker clubs." The average age for

5265-411: The role of women associated with outlaw motorcycle clubs, but few state how they have come to such conclusions; one admitting that, "[his] interviews with biker women were limited lest [his] intentions were misinterpreted" by their male companions and that such views of women are mythic and "sexist research" in itself, using deeply flawed methodologies and serve two highly political purposes of maintaining

5346-505: The state, and the occasional interested third party organization, and hold periodic meetings on neutral ground where representatives from each club meet in closed session to resolve disputes between clubs and discuss issues of common interest. Local coalitions or confederations of clubs have eliminated some of the inter-club rivalry and together they have acted to hire legal and PR representation. Larger outlaw motorcycle clubs will often establish localized smaller clubs that are subservient to

5427-458: The tense relationship between Holleeder and Endstra before the latter was shot and killed near his offices in Amsterdam on 17 May 2004. Holleeder had maintained that he and Endstra had an amicable relationship. Zeegers was found dead in his Amsterdam apartment , less than one week after he had testified at Holleeder's trial . The sudden and unexpected death of Zeegers led to speculation that he may have been murdered and received much coverage in

5508-488: The three-piece patch arrangement, this is not necessarily an indication that a club is an outlaw motorcycle club. Law enforcement agencies have confiscated colors and other club paraphernalia of these types of clubs when they raid a clubhouse or the home of a MC member, and they often display these items at press conferences. These items are then used at trial to support prosecution assertions that MC members perform criminal acts on behalf of their club. Courts have found that

5589-468: The word "outlaw" with disregard for the law of groups like the American Motorcyclist Association , not the laws of government. Outlaw bikers view themselves as a fraternity of men who reject societal norms, and their sense of brotherhood is reflected in tattoos, the wearing of club " colors ", and earning ranks and titles within a club or chapter. However, there is also a subculture of outlaw biker activity which revolves around performing outrageous acts,

5670-445: Was also found guilty of ordering the 2002 attempted murder of John Mieremet, Klepper's business partner (later shot dead in Thailand in 2005) and of the manslaughter of Robert ter Haak, who died of bullet wounds during the fatal attack that Holleeder had ordered on Cor van Hout. Holleeder appealed the verdict. In June 2022, Holleeder was again sentenced to life imprisonment on appeal. He announced his intention to file another appeal with

5751-508: Was an assassination in a parking lot; bombings at a strip club, a bar and the mansion of an organized crime figure; arson attacks on a pawn shop, tanning salon and a used-car lot; and a friendly-fire incident where bikers accidentally killed three members of their own club. The Hells Angels (or "H-A" as they're often referred to) were, and continue to be, one of the more prominent biker gangs still in existence today in Quebec and other regions of Canada – having at least 34 different chapters across

5832-521: Was arrested in a large operation involving 450 police and army personnel. He was suspected of extortion . The victim of the alleged extortion was Theo Huisman, the former president of the Amsterdam chapter of the Hells Angels Holland  [ nl ] . On 12 June 2013 Holleeder was released from prison but remained a suspect in the case. Back in jail, in May 2015 it became known that Holleeder knew who

5913-479: Was coined by the journalist Hunter S. Thompson in 1966 and was subsequently adopted by federal and local law enforcement agencies in the United States and elsewhere. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Criminal Intelligence Service Canada have designated four MCs as "outlaw motorcycle gangs": the Hells Angels , the Pagans , the Outlaws , and the Bandidos , known as the "Big Four". These four have

5994-464: Was held in De Bunker . The judges also found that he had formed a crime gang and ordered killings with jailed associate Dino Soerel and since-murdered criminal Stanley Hillis. The prosecution case relied on the sensational testimony of his sister, Astrid, who made secret recordings of their conversations. Victim Van Hout was married to Holleeder's sister Sonja, and she too gave evidence against him. He

6075-487: Was held in connection with the case before being released, though she remains a suspect. Three suspects in all were arrested and held in connection with the production of the drug that killed Zeegers. No connection between Zeegers' death and his testimony in the Willem Holleeder trial has so far been found. Zeegers' death is now widely regarded as an accidental overdose. The trial resumed on 22 October 2007, after

6156-478: Was in a business relationship with real estate businessman Willem Endstra , possibly involving money laundering. After Cor van Hout was killed in 2003, Holleeder fell out with Endstra. In early 2004, Endstra was reported to have offered one million euros to Boxtel to have Holleeder killed. Endstra secretly testified to the police about Holleeder, but was shot dead near his office in 2004. It is suspected that Holleeder, along with his partner-in-crime Dino Soerel, ordered

6237-408: Was involved in the murder of his brother-in-law, Cor van Hout . His sister Astrid, a criminal lawyer, feared that Holleeder planned to assassinate her, and so she proposed to assist in his prosecution. While visiting him in prison she secretly recorded his confession and handed it to the police. In April 2016, Holleeder was arrested again, while still in prison, for allegedly soliciting two members of

6318-448: Was later to become his brother-in-law by marrying Holleeder's sister Sonja. In 1983, their relatively unknown gang abducted the Heineken heir Freddy Heineken (who had purchased back the family ownership of the brewery), along with his driver Ab Doderer. Ultimately, their demand for 35 million guilders (approximately €16 million, or US$ 19.5 million) was met by the family, although the police were against it. After Freddy Heineken's release,

6399-460: Was released from De Schie prison in Rotterdam on 27 January 2012, after serving two-thirds of his nine-year term. He had been due to be released on 31 January but was let out a few days earlier to avoid publicity. After his release he appeared on television in the show College Tour in 2012. He also made a record named Willem is terug ("Willem is back") in September 2012 together with Lange Frans ,

6480-466: Was sentenced to nine years in prison for several counts of extortion, including the extortion of businessman Willem Endstra , who was murdered in 2004 after falling out with Holleeder. He served his sentence in Nieuw Vosseveld and was released on 27 January 2012. He was arrested again in May 2013 (released 12 June 2013), May 2015 and April 2016. In July 2019, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for five murders and one count of manslaughter. The sentence

6561-544: Was upheld by the Amsterdam Appeals Court on the 24th of June 2022. Born in 1958 in Amsterdam, Willem Holleeder is the son of Wim Holleeder (1927–1990), an employee at the Heineken breweries who lost his job because of alcoholism . As a teenager, he, along with his classmate Cor van Hout , was part of a gang that worked for landlords in evicting squatters , and may have been involved in several robberies. Cor van Hout

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