Firing people in the Netherlands is sufficiently hard that it causes me to think that this story has been fabricated or at least been exaggerated a little. I can see how his original 'cheating of the system' could be seen by his employer as misconduct and thus be grounds for firing, so I'm willing to believe this part. However, the firing of the other people in his department and his old boss smells a bit fishy. Unless they were temporary workers, the employer would have to start a redundancy procedure. The story makes it seem like they were fired on the spot as well.
I'd guess they were temp. workers from how it sounds with bonus based on performance and a few other bits from the first post, but even if they're temps you'd still have to begin a firing process unless you can say 'hey, no work left'. But then shifting temps elsewhere is unlikely so who knows, I'd lean towards potential exaggeration.
I am willing to believe that the story was embellished a bit.
For instance, in Brazil I could say that I was "fired on the spot", even though in most cases the company is required to give notice, meaning I'd still be working in the company for a month.
Doesn't change the fact that I am effectively fired in this case.
