The trial of controversial Dutch businessman Joep van den Nieuwenhuyzen began at the Rotterdam court on Thursday.

Van den Nieuwenhuyzen was arrested in October 2007 in Switzerland on fraud charges connected to the bankruptcies of several companies.

The businessman, who stood trial before for insider dealing but was not convicted, faces eight counts of fraud but said he expects to be acquitted.

‘You will not hear me say it is all nonsense, but we have a lot of documentation that clearly helps my case which has not yet been admitted in evidence,’ he told the press.