Police in Belgium have raided several properties linked to former EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders in a money laundering investigation, reports Do Rzeczy based on a story originally out of Belgian daily Le Soir.
The former EU commissioner is suspected of buying e-tickets – vouchers worth between €1 and €100 that can be transferred to a National Lottery account – a source familiar with the matter said. Using the lottery account, as well as cash, Reynders allegedly played lottery games and transferred the laundered money to his private account.
The investigation had been ongoing for months, but prosecutors waited until Sunday, when Reynders’ term in the European Commission expired, which also means his EU immunity expires.
Reynders served as EU Commissioner for Justice from 2019 to 2024. Before that, he held several prominent roles in the Belgian government including minister of foreign affairs, defense, and finance between 1999 and 2019. During his tenure in the government, his brief included overseeing the Belgian National Lottery.
Media reports indicate that one of the properties searched was Reynders’ private home. The former commissioner was questioned by police until late Tuesday evening but was not detained.
In the fall of 2019, Belgian media released the minutes of the interrogation of a former Belgian intelligence agent who accused Reynders of corruption and money laundering. The prosecutor dropped the case that same month, failing to establish a crime.
“Reynders allegedly began laundering money while he was still active in Belgian politics but was no longer head of the National Lottery. It is suspected that he continued this practice during his term as commissioner,” Follow the Money also reported.
Reynders has been a faithful critic of Orbán’s Hungary, vowing to continue to block some €19 billion of funds as he prepares to leave his post as commissioner.
The EU vows to continue blocking nearly €20 billion in funds for Hungary over migration and LGBT issues. https://t.co/XpTUp7eRzD
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) November 20, 2024
Back in July, Remix News reported on Reynders openly declaring that Hungary could face billions of more frozen funds, stating, “The European Commission (EC) does not rule out that it will also apply the conditions attached to the awarding of catch-up (cohesion) subsidies in connection with the Sovereignty Protection Act.”
