Eleven men from Amsterdam and Amstelveen face prosecution for having sex with a boy aged around 16, the public prosecution department said on Thursday.

The men, aged 38 to 61, paid the youth for sex, the department said in a short statement. The offences took place between February and July last year.

Police became involved after the youth’s parents found messages on the boy’s telephone and reported them.

According to the Telegraaf, one of the suspects, named as Vincent L, worked for the public prosecution department and was acting head of the section devoted to environmental crime and fraud. He was fired at the beginning of this year because of the allegations against him.