Floris in Wonderland
How a dream job turned into a nightmare
Fortunate businessman Once upon a time there was a businessman, in his own eyes a fortunate businessman. This businessman, named Floribertus Catharinus Gerardus Gremmen, owned a couple of Dutch Limited’s, a Foundation and an offshore limited. Officially his name is Floribertus, but most of his friends are calling him Floris. Friends? Well, people to whom he owed some amount of money and therefore they stay in his proximity. I am one of those people, I never called myself his friend, employee is far better and for now creditor is spot on.
Money isn’t a problem Somewhere in April 2008 I came in contact with the, to his own saying fortunate businessman Floris. In the beginning he planned to build luxurious semi-ecological resorts in the top segment. He saw in me a good help to accomplish this project. While drinking some coffee we changed ideas. Just to explore possibilities, nothing concrete. In these conversations Floris appeared amiable and willingly. Money isn’t a problem, there are more than enough financiers for this kind of projects. Yeah. In The Netherlands he also saw a possibility to rent out supercars. All men want to drive such a car, everyone wants to own one but nobody wants to pay the expenses. And see, there is a market and WE have to fill the gap.
Solid project The conversations became more conctrete when the project Masdar City occurred. The emirate Abu Dhabi wants to build a CO2-neutral and waste neutral city, named Masdar (Arabic for source). At the end of May 2008 the, to his own idea prosperous businessman came to me with a contract between him and an emirate Sheikh. This Sheikh wanted to provide for European ‘greentech’ companies an entrance into Masdar Initiative. In The United Arab Emirates is money more than enough available, so they simply buy knowledge, products and systems from the rest of the world. Therefore it is a solid project, even a governmental project. For this project I had to seek out, screen and invite those ‘greentech’ companies. And look, here we have a clear goal, now we can create a function out of it, unfortunately.
Unconquerable demands? Ok, I had some questions left. The most important question was “How are you planning to fund this project?” I asked him because the Masdar project pays out with a delay of eight to ten months, to my opinion. Well according to Floris, in his own eyes a successful businessman, the project pays out much sooner, only several months. If not, then we have in Turkey a factory which generates structural money. Then I had only two demands, one, pay me on time every month and two, I want a workspace in an office somewhere. In my opinion no unconquerable demands, are they? “Of course not” according our own Floris. “We will have an office already in August and for the money I personally guarantee, that’s normal” Well, it seemed to be different.
Impossible demands Since 1 October 2008 I’m an employee of the Foundation ‘Residencia’. Great, only no office. Hmmm. According to Floris, in his mind a great businessman, that was no issue. He just had to solve some minor problems with the landlord. And as all the landlords, he came with impossible demands such as several months of rent in front as a security deposit. In Floris’ view, the landlord had to be pleased that we WANT to rent his office and the security deposit will follow. “Before the end of the month we’re working in our own office.” So, one lawsuit and several months later still no office. In the mean time the address of the expected office was already printed on our business cards. Ok, than the salary. The salary of the month October came in the third week of November, the salary of November came not before the end of the first week of December. By the way, the foundation didn’t pay those salaries, but they’re paid by one of the other companies of Floris. Named, Dehoca Beheer. In the mean time I paid in advance the costs for hotels and some other things on my credit card. The salaries weren’t filling the gap. Right now I’m still waiting on the salaries of the month December en further.
The painful truth Slowly but surely you’ll discover the truth behind the, according to himself good businessman Floris Gremmen. In January we had a meeting, also with the general manager of Dehoca Beheer. They were busy with a loan and a very lucrative contract. From the loan they could pay my declaration and the contract will provide that we won’t have money problems in the nearby future. And yes, I was employee of the foundation, paid by Dehoca Beheer and working for Brunn International LTD (bvi), which is the name of the offshore limited. This limited he has, to his saying, together with the Sheikh from Abu Dhabi. A colleague of mine from the foundation, also waiting for his money, worked mostly for Dehoca International Consultancy and was meant to work for New Horizons. You see, it’s a swamp of names, companies etc. Nothing is clear, the, according to his own standards upright businessman can shift amounts of money at his own discretion. His organization is as clear as a concrete wall.
Qualities of a good businessman The most frequent asked question to me is: “How did you let it come so far?” Well, the project I was working on was for sure a really solid project. Interesting and to me it was a great opportunity to gain international experience. The first month it was going extremely well. If there were only slight possibilities to go further with the job, with only this “small” glitch, I would grab those chances. It won’t work if you come with strict demands at once. We did give, the, in his own mind very good businessman a strict warning that we are willing to take further steps if necessary. In my view Mr. Gremmen has an annoying quality. He promises a lot but seldom has he kept his promises. Every, to his own standards good businessman must have this quality. Once he promised, even with the guarantee of three hundred percent that at one specific time there would be money. And he did it not once, but several times. The reasons why he couldn’t keep his promise are quite inexhaustible. People who thought to do business with him will recognize this. He does it to almost everyone, employees, business people, public servants of the government the Dutch tax services, lawyers, it doesn’t matter. Some people are called con man for far less, but this qualification I’ll leave it up to you, the reader. Everyone has the right to form his own opinion. In my opinion, this disturbing quality led to a delay in the process of at least several weeks. In retrospect I believe he lied about more things, or at least bended the truth, even before the money problems.
White rabbit There is one person I left out of the list of persons fooled by the in his own opinion better businessman. Himself. In my view it seems to be his truth is the real truth. He lives in his own world, a wonderful world where the white rabbit is not running around with a broken watch, but with a bag of money. At least you must be a successful businessman to obtain the moneybag. Floris thinks of himself he’s a good businessman, so he surely must grab the moneybag. That in his efforts to grab the bag, the world around him is crumbling down, he won’t notice. Reminders, even verdicts by the court won’t have any effect on him and he still goes on with his successful businesses. What is really wonderful is that he gains nothing. The white rabbit is still too fast.
This text will remain on the World Wide Web until all debts from Residencia Foundation to her personnel are fulfilled or the World Wide Web will cease in his existence. Witch ever comes first.
Mr Gremmen is owner of the following companies:
Dehoca Beheer BV
Dehoca International Concultancy BV
Dehoca Turkey AS
Brunn International LTD (bvi)
Residencia Foundation (Bankrupt since 14-07-2009 Insolventienumber 09/463F curator mr R. van der Pas)
(Probably there are some more companies, like White Tulip Holdings LLC, but I’m not sure)
A personnel staff of two people was working for the Residencia Foundation. The Foundation is sentenced by the court of Rotterdam to pay the back salaries, added with statutory interest, fines and penalties. (Verdict number 961422 VV Expl 09-91)
The claim from M1 on Residencia:
a. back salary 2008 (gross) € 972,22 b. salary December 2008 until May 2009 (gross) € 22.620,00 c. holiday gratuity until May 2009 (gross) € 2.412,80 d. pension premium € P.M. + Total (gross) € 26.005,02 + P.M.
e. lawful increment (net) € 6.141,10 f. statutory interest (fixated) (net) € 450,00 g. legal costs (net) € 595,00 h. costs lawsuit (net) € 291,38 + Total (net) € 7.477,48
Paid by the Foundation by now (August 01, 2020):
a. Amount deposited on third-party account lawyer € 0,00
The claim of M2 on Residencia:
a. salary November 2007 until May 2009 (gross) € 65.474,00 b. holiday gratuity until May 2008 (gross) € 1.929,76 c. holiday gratuity until May 2009 (gross) € 3.308,16 d. 13th month 2007 (gross) € 3.446,00 e. pension premium € P.M. + Total (gross) € 74.157,92 + P.M.
f. declaration expenses (net) € 8.279,59 g. Lawful increment (net) € 30.255,88 h. statutory interest (fixated) (net) € 750,00 i. legal costs (net) € 595,00 j. costs lawsuit (net) € 291,38 k. already paid (deducted) (net) -/- € 28.172,00 + Total (net) € 11.999,85
Paid by the Foundation by now (September 29 2022):
a. Amount deposited on third-party account lawyer € 0,00