Property tycoon Nicholas van Hoogstraten, serving a 10-year jail sentence for the manslaughter of former business associate Mohammed Raja, has lied to a court about the extent of his wealth, according to an Old Bailey trial.
Van Hoogstraten claims he is worth no more than £4m, despite the extent of his wealth being valued at around £500m during the trial into the murder of Raja.
Peter Irvin, representing relatives of Mohammed Raja, argued yesterday that van Hoogstraten has falsely claimed to have given away his £200m art collection, antiques and coin collections to his children in the late 1990s.
The latest hearing is attempting to unravel van Hoogstraten’s wealth after the tycoon failed to comply with a court order to disclose his assets.
Mohammed Raja’s family is continuing its original fraud case against van Hoogstraten and is seeking £5m.
EGi News 10/12/02
