Belgian Lawyer Faces Trial for Defrauding 80+ Clients

The criminal trial of Marc Gadisseur, a former lawyer from Merksem in Antwerp, formally opened at the Correctionele Rechtbank on September 1, 2026. Gadisseur, 67, is accused of defrauding between 80 and 94 clients of approximately €12 million over several years, using the proceeds to fund an extravagant lifestyle that included properties in Knokke and Mallorca, a luxury yacht, and multiple high-end sports cars. His son Geert, 42, and an unnamed accountant also face charges in connection with the alleged scheme, according to VRT NWS.

A Breach of Trust That Spanned Years

The case first came to light in 2018 when a Dutch businessman filed a complaint after losing approximately €3.5 million during the liquidation of his company. Investigators later discovered that Gadisseur had allegedly forged a bank statement, altering a balance of €63 to €3,456,639 in an attempt to deceive the client. The complaint triggered a judicial investigation that uncovered a much larger pattern of fraud.

According to the HLN, Gadisseur’s modus operandi was deceptively simple. He would offer to hold client funds on a derdenrekening—a special third-party account that Belgian lawyers use to temporarily safeguard money for clients or opposing parties. Instead of keeping the funds secure, he transferred them to his personal accounts. When clients asked for their money, he stalled them with excuses. Those who pressed were paid small amounts from other victims’ money, creating a Ponzi-like scheme.

Many of Gadisseur’s victims were in vulnerable life situations. They were going through divorces, dealing with inheritance disputes, or facing housing and construction issues. The lawyer presented himself as a capable and trustworthy figure who would handle everything for them.

“So I paid for my divorce twice,” said Rudi Vanhaecke (69), who deposited €75,000 with Gadisseur for a divorce settlement that never materialized, as reported by HLN.

A Luxury Lifestyle Funded by Victims

Gadisseur used the stolen funds to acquire properties in Kapellen, Knokke, and Mallorca, along with a Ferretti 620 Flybridge luxury yacht—an 18-meter vessel named “Un Poco Mas” (“a little more”)—and multiple luxury cars including a Maserati GranTurismo, a Mercedes AMG, and an Aston Martin.

One victim, the late Gilberte Taeymans, who was 82 at the time of the fraud, recalled: “When we went to sign that power of attorney at the bank, I was allowed to ride once in Gadisseur’s Maserati GranTurismo.” Taeymans was one of at least four victims who died during the lengthy legal process.

Peter Kütemann (78), who lost €3.4 million—the largest single loss—told HLN: “I lost the most money, but I don’t feel like the biggest victim. Gadisseur defrauded people who lost all their savings, which they had worked hard for. That is criminal.”

Confession and Arrest

Gadisseur was arrested in January 2019 and spent approximately eight months in pre-trial detention. He confessed from his first interrogation, explaining that his firm began experiencing financial difficulties around 2010 and that he started transferring funds from the third-party account to cover deficits.

“I am aware that I let it all go too far. I wish to give my full cooperation to this investigation,” he said during interrogation on January 21, 2019, according to HLN. “I then partially transferred provisions from the third-party account to my professional account. This created latent deficits on the third-party account. I had my back against the wall.”

Gadisseur removed himself from the bar register in early 2019, and his law firm was declared bankrupt on February 21, 2019. The curator sold his assets, but the proceeds went primarily to privileged creditors such as banks. Most victims have not received any money back.

The Role of the Order of Advocates

A separate civil procedure targets the Order of Advocates, Belgium’s professional regulatory body for lawyers. The curator of Gadisseur’s bankrupt firm holds the Order partly liable for damages because it allegedly failed to act on complaints against Gadisseur dating back to 2013. Approximately 50 complaints were found at the Order’s offices.

“If the dean of the Order of Advocates had acted forcefully in 2013, Gadisseur would likely have made many fewer victims,” said Nick Heinen, a lawyer representing approximately 15 victims, as reported by HLN. “The victims have been waiting six years for a trial against father and son Gadisseur, the lawyers in whom they once had so much trust.”

The Order of Advocates fought hard to keep disciplinary files about Gadisseur out of the criminal case, appealing to the Court of Cassation and twice to the Chamber of Indictment. The Chamber ruled that the complaint letters from clients were not disciplinary procedures but simply complaints from citizens, and thus not covered by professional secrecy. The Advocatie legal news outlet reported extensively on these legal battles.

Additional Allegations

In April 2023, Gadisseur was arrested again for allegedly stealing tens of thousands of euros from an elderly widower from Brussels. These new facts were added to the main case file, as Advocatie reported at the time.

A Seven-Year Journey to Trial

The case took over seven years to reach trial due to legal battles over the disciplinary files and other procedural issues. The trial formally began on September 1, 2026, with hearing dates expected to be set on Tuesday. Gadisseur’s wife, Nancy Van der Cloodt, who was initially referred to court alongside her husband, has since died.

As the proceedings unfold, the case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences when those entrusted with safeguarding client funds betray that trust. For the victims—many of whom lost their life savings—the trial represents a long-awaited opportunity for justice, even if financial recovery remains uncertain. The OpenNieuws platform noted that the case highlights significant questions about regulatory oversight within the legal profession.

What to Watch For

The key questions going forward include whether the court will hold the Order of Advocates accountable for alleged negligence in supervising Gadisseur, and whether any of the victims will see financial restitution. With Gadisseur having confessed to the fraud, the focus of the trial is likely to shift to sentencing, the scope of damages, and the broader implications for lawyer oversight in Belgium.