DUTCH ACCOUNTANT UNCOVERS FRAUD BEHIND SYRIA RESCUE ORGANIZATION WHITE HELMETS: REPORT

A Dutch accountant discovered that the leaders of Mayday Rescue, the Dutch foundation behind the White Helmets rescue organization in Syria, used money intended for a rescue operation for their own bonuses instead. James Le Mesurier, the founder of the White Helmets, died in an apparent suicide days after this discovery, the Volkskrant reports based on its own research. 

The White Helmets is the organization of Syrian locals who rescued victims from the rubble after bombings – recognized by the white helmets they wore. The organization was funded by donations from various European governments, Canada and Qatar. The finances ran through Mayday Rescue, a Dutch foundation that also had offices in Istanbul.