Belgian authorities have arrested several individuals as part of a corruption investigation involving the European Parliament and Chinese tech giant Huawei, officials announced on Thursday.
The suspects are accused of engaging in “active corruption” to promote Huawei’s interests within the European Parliament. Their arrests followed coordinated raids at 21 locations across Belgium and Portugal.
Corruption Allegations
“The corruption was reportedly carried out regularly and discreetly from 2021 to the present, under the guise of commercial lobbying,” the prosecutor’s office stated. It allegedly involved various forms of bribery, including payments for taking political positions, excessive gifts, travel perks, and invitations to football matches.
Investigators suspect that illicit payments were disguised within financial transactions related to conference expenses in an attempt to obscure their true purpose. “In this context, the investigation also seeks to uncover potential money laundering,” prosecutors added.
Office Seals and Legal Considerations
Following the raids, a judge ordered the sealing of the offices of two parliamentary assistants at the European Parliament’s headquarters in Strasbourg, France.
Authorities have not disclosed further details, including the identities of those arrested, citing the presumption of innocence and the ongoing nature of the investigation.
Huawei and European Parliament representatives have yet to respond to requests for comment.
Context and Previous Scandals
This probe follows a major corruption scandal less than three years ago, in which several EU lawmakers and aides were accused of accepting bribes from Qatari and Moroccan officials.
Five current and former Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) – Greece’s Eva Kaili, Italy’s Pier Antonio Panzeri and Andrea Cozzolino, and Belgium’s Marc Tarabella and Marie Arena – have been charged in that case.
