St. Maarten authorities say independent lawmaker arrested in bribery, money laundering probe

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – A lawmaker in St. Maarten has been arrested in a corruption probe.

Authorities in the Dutch Caribbean country said independent lawmaker Patrick Illidge was being questioned Monday on allegations of bribery and money laundering.

Last year, a publicized video showed Illidge seeming to accept stacks of money from the owner of a strip club. The video was sent anonymously to two newspapers.

Authorities later announced they were probing allegations that a former opposition leader asked strip club owner Jaap van den Heuvel to make the tape so he could blackmail Illidge to join his political faction and break the ruling coalition. Van den Heuvel was arrested last year.

Illidge's lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment.