The tax office’s criminal investigation branch FIOD has arrested three Dutch nationals on suspicion of a multi-million euro investment fraud.

The trio, two men, aged 31 and 39 and a woman aged 37 from Tiel and Oosterhout, stand accused of embezzlement and money laundering. The woman is also suspected of offering investment services without a licence, fraud and forgery.

The woman, who promised would-be investors a return on investments of 10 to 12% a month, managed to amass some €56 million in the space of two years, “a considerable part” of which was then spent on luxury goods, the investigators say.

The FIOD has also seized houses, bank accounts, race horses, jewellery, gold and other items.

A number of investors had reported possible fraud by the trio to financial markets watchdog AFM regarding investments in companies called Best Choice, Airfeet BV and Xerof BV.

“They told investors the high returns were a result of trading in currency exchange differences between dollars and gold, with a return of 200% return on a yearly basis,” the FIOD said. The alleged fraudsters tried to hide their trail by falsifying accounts and setting up a network of false companies.

The FIOD has warned consumers not to invest in the three companies and called on people who have been duped to report to them.