Pact with the Devil, In the Chokehold of the Passage Trials.

In the early 2000s, a wave of underworld liquidations left police investigators desperate. Then an unknown criminal, Peter la Serpe, struck a deal as a crown witness with the Public Prosecution Service (OM). It was the first time the Netherlands encountered a crown witness directly involved in murders. The aim was to uncover masterminds, but at what cost?

The Passage trial begins. The defense does everything to undermine crown witness La Serpe, putting them directly at odds with the OM. His reliability and thus the deal are put to the test. The revelation that he may have been involved in yet another murder intensifies the case and raises the question of whether the OM will uphold this crown witness at all costs.

After years of pursuit, alleged mastermind Dino Soerel might have been arrested in Amsterdam, causing uproar after the chief of police's statement, "We got him." The media circus ensues. Revelations in court that crown witness La Serpe received 1.4 million euros and Holleeder's name was omitted from the statements ignite significant controversy. The judges' decision remains uncertain.

The appeal starts, and to the defense's astonishment, the OM teams up with a second crown witness: Fred Ros, sentenced to 30 years in the Passage trial, striking a deal. His possible role in Cor van Hout's liquidation and his deep case knowledge raise ethical concerns. The complexity escalates as the two crown witnesses contradict each other. How far will the OM push?

The spirit of Willem Holleeder hovers over the Passage trial. The nature of the relationship between Soerel and Holleeder becomes an increasingly significant point of attention. Why was Soerel on Holleeder's hit list and what did that mean for his statements in court? The friction between defense and media grows larger. The impact of harsh media coverage on Soerel's family is significant.

The verdict comes as a heavy blow: 4 life sentences. With this conviction, the door is opened for the negotiation of new crown witness deals, the dangers of which become evident in the current Marengo trial. Meanwhile, Rachel Soerel moves to a place her father has never seen and hopes for a revision of the verdict via the European Court of Human Rights.