The Belgian police This Tuesday, two homes of former European Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders were searched and interrogated in the framework of an investigation for money laundering through the purchase of a type of lottery during his term as minister.
The liberal, whoever foreign minister (2011 and 2019), and before finance head (1999-2011), is being investigated after a complaint from the Financial Information Processing Unit (Ctif) and the National Lottery for detecting suspicious transactions for a relatively high amount in lottery purchases.
The investigation began last year 2023. This Tuesday, Reynders’ habitual residence and his country house were searched.
According to the Belgian newspaper Le Soirthe investigation indicates that the former minister and former commissioner bought a type of bonds, known as electronic ticketstransferable to a personal account of the National Lottery. Part of those purchases were made in cash and then the winnings were deposited into his lottery account and finally transferred to a checking account.
The police operation takes place as just three days after Reynders left office in the EU. As the investigation is focused on a period of time in which Reynders was a minister and later a European commissioner, for the moment he enjoys immunity and has not been arrested.
If the Brussels Prosecutor’s Office decides to pursue the case, it will have to ask the House of Representatives to rule on the matter.
Reynders retired from the political scene after not being re-elected as commissioner in the new team led by the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
As European head of Justice, Reynders participated in the mediation requested by the PP in the negotiations with the Government for the renewal of the members of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ).
#Belgian #police #search #homes #interrogate #commissioner #Didier #Reynders #alleged #money #laundering
