Limburg (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Solidaris is appealing to the Antwerp Court to recover €15 million from former CEO Tony Coonen after the De Voorzorg Limburg corruption trial, involving 8 co-defendants and major financial losses.
As VRT News reported, the socialist health insurance fund Solidaris is appealing to the Antwerp Court of Appeal to recover millions of euros from its former CEO, Tony Coonen. Solidaris has announced that it will file an appeal through the legal entities of several non-profit organisations, including Germinal Uitbreiding, VZW Vakanties, and CV Apotheken.
Solidaris says it wants to recover the full damages after the corruption pact at De Voorzorg Limburg was proven and penalties were imposed. For now, Solidaris is the only party taking an appeal.
What is Solidaris doing to recover €15M from Ex-CEO Coonen in Limburg?
The appeal comes after the corruption trial of De Voorzorg Limburg in March 2021, where Coonen and 8 others were convicted of selling the mutual’s assets to entrepreneurs connected to them. Investigators found that money from these sales, including holiday resorts and other properties, went back to Coonen and the mutual’s treasurer, Dirk M.
Solidaris says the assets were deliberately sold below market value, which caused major financial losses. The trial was scheduled to take place from 2 to 6 June 2025 in the correctional court at Hasselt.
On Oct 3, 2025, Former CEO Tony Coonen was sentenced to 4 years in prison, most of which were suspended. He also received an €8,000 fine, a ten-year ban on holding director positions, and a five-year loss of civil rights. In addition, Coonen had to forfeit a building plot and more than €600,000 in financial gains.
His company, Panta Rhei, must give up €643,000 and pay a €32,000 fine. Coonen and his co-defendants must also repay €90,000 for misusing De Voorzorg credit cards. The fund is seeking €15 million in damages. The court decided that the losses had not been proven, so Coonen is not required to pay additional damages.
