Brussels – Didier Reynders, the former Belgian minister and European Commissioner for Justice until last Saturday, is currently under investigation for alleged money laundering activities tied to National Lottery games.
The investigation was reported on Tuesday evening by the French-language newspaper Le Soir and the investigative platform Follow the Money. This was subsequently confirmed by the Brussels prosecutor-general’s office.
According to reports, Reynders has been purchasing National Lottery tickets for the purpose of laundering winnings back into his own account over the years. On Tuesday, Belgian federal police conducted raids at multiple locations, including Reynders’ private residences, and he was questioned well into the night. It remains unclear if there are any additional suspects involved in the case.
The European Commission stated that it was unaware of the investigation until it was brought to light by the media. A spokesperson noted that Reynders has “functional” immunity for actions taken in his official role as EU Commissioner, although the college of commissioners has the authority to revoke that immunity if necessary.
04/12/2024
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