Amsterdam, March 15, (dpa/GNA) – Two former stars of the smash-hit casting show “The Voice of Holland” are being prosecuted for sexual assault, the public prosecutor’s office said in Amsterdam on Tuesday.
Prominent rapper Ali B and former band leader Jeroen R, the ex-partner of TV presenter Linda de Mol, stand accused of sexual assaults against three women between 2014 and 2018.
The investigation against a third man, also a famous singer, was dropped.
One of the three victims is allegedly connected to the show. A fourth charge could not be proven, according to the prosecutors. Ali B denies the charges against him.
The former band leader is accused of an assault that allegedly occurred in or near a recording studio of the show in 2018. He later admitted his wrongdoing. De Mol had separated from her partner after the allegations came to light.
The scandal around the show was uncovered more than a year ago, when dozens of mostly young women claimed that sexual assaults had taken place during production and incriminated the male defendants.
Marking the biggest #MeToo scandal in Dutch media so far, the landslide of allegations prompted the TV station RTL Nederland to cancel the popular reality competition.
Launched in the Netherlands in 2010, “The Voice of Holland” formula was later sold to several other countries. Media entrepreneur and the show’s long-time producer, John de Mol, expressed deep shock at the revelations.
GNA