EU Parliament Corruption Scandal

[WBarnes]

Qatar scandal: What just happened at the European Parliament?

POLITICO answers all your questions about the influence scandal rocking Brussels.

www.politico.eu

Watchdogs say it could be the “most serious,” “most shocking,” “most egregious” corruption scandal to hit Brussels in years.

A series of at least 16 raids by the Belgian federal police Friday netted five people they said had committed “alleged offenses of criminal organization, corruption and money laundering.” The morning searches yielded €600,000 in cash, plus phones and computers.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/12/12/qatar-european-parliament-eva-kaili-corruption/

BRUSSELS — The de facto capital of the European Union is being rocked by explosive allegations that World Cup host Qatar bribed current and former European Parliament officials to try to influence decisions at the highest levels.

After at least 20 raids across Brussels since Friday morning, including within the offices of the European Parliament, Belgian authorities have confiscated more than $1 million in cash, “frozen” the technology access of 10 parliamentary officials to preserve data for the investigation and held six people for questioning. On Sunday, a Belgian judge charged four of them, saying they are suspected of money laundering, corruption and taking part in a criminal organization on behalf of a “Gulf State.”