The 34-year-old Gill V., son of the former owner of the well-known sportswear brand Jartazi, has been extradited to Belgium from the United Arab Emirates as part of an investigation into tax fraud and money laundering.
Gill V., a resident of Haaltert, is one of the suspects in the so-called “Dagobert” case, a large-scale inquiry into alleged financial misconduct within his family’s textile empire.
Authorities suspect that several members of the V. family siphoned off €5 million from their businesses using fake invoices.
According to investigators, patriarch Jan V. utilised shell companies based in Thailand and Bangladesh that issued fraudulent invoices to the family’s firms.
While payments were sent to these foreign suppliers, couriers reportedly brought the money back to Belgium in cash.
The funds were allegedly hidden from the tax authorities and used for luxury purchases, such as watches, jewellery, cars, property, and costly holidays.
The investigation began in 2022 after customs officers at Brussels Airport stopped Jan V. with €72,000 in cash hidden in his luggage.
House searches at family residences in Haaltert and Denderleeuw followed in 2023. Luxury cars were among the items seized during the raids. Jan V., his wife, and two daughters were arrested and questioned at the time.
Jan V. is believed to have masterminded the fraud scheme, though investigators claim the entire family benefited from the misappropriated funds.
Prosecutors have now completed their investigation and are preparing to submit the case to the courts for further proceedings. The council chamber will next decide whether to refer the case to a criminal court.
The V. family initially built their fortune in livestock farming before Jan V. transitioned successfully into the textile sector. His companies produced denim clothing sold through major chains such as C&A, JBC, and Inno.
In 2010, Jan V. acquired sportswear brand Jartazi with a business partner, supplying football kits to professional clubs like AA Gent, KV Mechelen, and Sporting Lokeren. The brand was sold again in 2018.
