Max Verstappen's manager Raymond Vermeulen says "caution is in order" regarding the charges of money laundering leveled last week at the CEO of Jumbo, the Red Bull driver's long-time personal sponsor.
Frits van Eerd, the chief executive of the Dutch supermarket chain, was arrested last Tuesday in the Netherlands and detained on suspicions of money laundering and tax fraud after his house and several other places were raided by Dutch police as part of an investigation conducted by the country's financial and tax crime services and its Public Prosecution Service.
Van Eerd - a personal friend of the Verstappen family and a racer who has competed in the WEC and in historic F1 races - is allegedly involved in fraudulent real estate and car trading transactions, unexplained cash deposits and sponsorship contracts, according to Dutch media.
However, it is not believed that the Jumbo supermarkets chain that sponsors Verstappen is in any way involved in the alleged money laundering schemes.
"Caution is in order here," Vermeulen told Algemeen Dagblad newspaper
"We are waiting for the facts to be on the table. We have been in contact with Jumbo and the management and marketing will continue as usual."
Vermeulen said he and the Verstappen camp are taking a wait-and-see approach to the affair until more clarity is given.
"We have agreements with Jumbo, and the supermarket is not part of the investigation. That was clearly stated," he said.
"Let’s be careful with all kinds of suggestive things and wait for the facts to come out."
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