Aflevering 8 | Epiloog

Key Points

• The podcast episode is an epilogue featuring an interview with former gangster Philip Lacroix, reflecting on his life after the series.
• Lacroix discusses his family, including his children who are fully aware of his past, his separation from their mother, and his current focus on being a present father.
• He addresses listener questions, denying involvement in a specific deadly robbery and sharing his skepticism about the notorious "Bende van Nijvel" crimes.
• Lacroix reflects on his transformation, stating he is the same person but with different ideas, and accepts that people may judge him based on his past.

Summary

This transcript is the epilogue of a podcast series titled "Ik was gangster" (I was a gangster), featuring a follow-up interview with Philip Lacroix approximately eight months after the main recordings. The host visits Lacroix at home. Lacroix shares updates on his life, mentioning a shoulder injury requiring surgery. He reflects on listening to the podcast series, noting that the episode covering the murder of his associate, Mr. Groes, was the most emotionally difficult for him, causing sleep issues. Technically, he is pleased with the podcast's production but maintains some distance from how his story was presented.

Lacroix discusses his personal life in detail. He is a father of two teenagers from a relationship that began when he met their mother, a psychologist, while he was in prison. He has been fully transparent with his children about his criminal past, creating a photo album to explain his life from childhood to his time in prison and release. He believes honesty is crucial to prevent rumors and protect his children. While his relationship with their mother ended due to tensions, partly from caring for his ailing mother, they maintain a cooperative family dynamic, and he is highly involved in his children's lives. He is determined not to repeat the mistakes of his own father.

Regarding his past, Lacroix states he has no contact with most people from that time, except for occasional phone calls with a former associate named Tosca. He lives a busy life, working more than full-time and teaching. When asked if it's difficult for the public to see him as anything but a gangster, he explains that he rarely discusses his past with colleagues. He accepts that people will form their own opinions based on online information. He views his life as an evolution, acknowledging his past actions were wrong but unchangeable, and he now lives a different life with different values.

The host presents listener questions seeking clarity on historical crimes. Lacroix denies any involvement in a fatal 1986 security van robbery in Gooik/Leerbeek, where a guard was shot. He also expresses strong skepticism about the theories linking his gang to the infamous "Bende van Nijvel" (Nijvel Gang), a series of violent robberies and murders in the 1980s. He argues that the extreme, seemingly senseless violence and the pattern of the Nijvel crimes do not align with normal criminal logic or behavior, suggesting they were not perpetrated by a traditional criminal gang like his.