Horse Meat Scandal: Wholesaler Faces Five Years in Prison

Accused of selling 330 metric tons of horse meat as beef, Dutch trader Willy Selten has been on trial since March 24. Two years after his arrest, he is being prosecuted for forgery and fraud in the Den Bosch court in the Netherlands.   In April 2013, 50,000 metric tons of ground meat—distributed throughout Europe by Willy Selten’s company since 2011—were subject to a recall by Dutch health authorities. Labeled “100% pure beef,” the meat was suspected of containing horse meat. “ This recall borders on mass hysteria ,” the wholesaler’s attorney had exclaimed. However, the court in The Hague upheld the health authorities’ decision. The scandal, which originated in England and was dubbed “HorseGate,” had thus taken on a European dimension. The trial of Willy Selten, who was arrested in May 2013, began on Tuesday. The Dutch Public Prosecutor’s Office has sought a five-year prison sentence for him on charges of fraud and falsification of invoices and labeling. For his part, the trader continues to deny any intentional deception, claiming he is guilty only of neglect and administrative errors. Since horse meat is cheaper than beef, Willy Selten is suspected of having derived “significant financial gain” from mixing the two meats, the prosecutor alleged. At the time of the events, his company was facing financial difficulties and has since gone bankrupt. The verdict is expected to be handed down on April 7.