Chairman Sandra van Heuchelom Verhag said the fallout from the fraud “left deep marks” in the office. Bils Riken confronts “the facts that point to the need for drastic action”. The bureau notes, for example, that Orange has been able to commit fraud for a long time without anyone ringing the bell internally.

According to Van Heukelom-Verhage, Pels Rijcken has focused less on risk mitigation and compliance with legal obligations and more on service. “We are explicitly using this crisis to get out of it better.”

In addition to stopping the notary profession, Pels Rijcken is taking a number of other measures. For example, there will be a separate risk and compliance department and the office will have a supervisory board in which only people outside the office will participate.

Outgoing Justice Minister Fred Graberhaus asked two experts for their advice on the Orange case. One of the recommendations of these experts was that it should be investigated whether documentation activities could be better separated from the branch of law. The minister said through a ministry spokesman that the investigation into the advantages and disadvantages of this separation has not yet been completed, and the office has come to this decision independently.

In his own words, Grapperhaus observes Pels Rijcken’s movement with interest. According to him, the investigations of the Financial Supervisory Authority and the criminal investigation will continue.