A judicial investigation into possible money-laundering practices by former European commissioner and former Belgian cabinet minister Didier Reynders (Francophone liberal/MR) is under way. Daily Le Soir and the Dutch research platform Follow The Money were first to break the news that has been confirmed by the Brussels public prosecutor's office. Mr Reynders is suspected of laundering money by playing the lottery.
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Ex-EU commissioner Didier Reynders under investigation for possible money laundering
Colin Clapson
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Didier Reynders, until last Saturday European commissioner for Justice, is now himself the subject of a judicial investigation.
Mr Reynders is alleged for many years to have used cash to buy National Lottery tickets in order to see the profits return to his account laundered.
Belgian federal police investigators raided several premises on Tuesday as part of the investigation, including Mr Reynders's private homes.
Mr Reynders was reportedly also questioned. The public prosecutor's office has confirmed that house searches did take place.
Investigators waited till Mr Reynders’s protected status ended
The searches are part of a money laundering investigation that has been ongoing for months. The Belgian justice department is said to have waited to intervene until Mr Reynders' mandate as a European commissioner ended on 1 December, and the leading EU politician lost his protection as a commissioner.
The Brussels public prosecutor's office has confirmed that a money laundering investigation is under way, but does not wish to comment further. It stresses that the presumption of innocence applies during an investigation. Didier Reynders could not immediately be reached for comment.
Earlier investigations
This is not the first time Mr Reynders has been under judicial investigation for money laundering. Five years ago, another investigation was launched after claims made by a former state security officer.
At the time, the man accused Mr Reynders of corruption and money laundering. Among other things, he referred to the construction of the Belgian embassy in Congo, the lease for the headquarters of the federal police, bribery by arms dealers and bribery by a Congolese election candidate. Mr Reynders denied all allegations.
A preliminary investigation was soon dropped because no evidence was found. While that whole affair was playing out, the Belgian government nominated Mr Reynders as a European commissioner, a position he was then able to secure.
Missed out on top jobs
Didier Reynders became the European Justice Commissioner in 2019. In this job, he had the task of checking whether EU member states complied with European legislation and to make sure politicians did not intervene in the administration of justice.
In addition, he also served as European commissioner for consumer protection, and since September he was also in charge of competition.
Mr Reynders has not been a European commissioner since Sunday’s appointment of the new European Commission. Since Sunday, his party colleague Hadja Lahbib has been the new Belgian European commissioner. Mr Reynders had hoped for a second term and reacted with disappointment when Francophone liberal leader Georges-Louis Bouchez put forward Ms Lahbib’s name.
Earlier last year, in June, Mr Reynders failed to land a top job at the Council of Europe. In mid-April, he took unpaid leave from the Commission to campaign to become secretary-general of the Council of Europe.
Mr Reynders was also interested in heading his party's European list in the European elections but failed to secure the position.
Earlier Mr Reynders served as a Belgian federal minister: first as finance minister and later as foreign minister. As finance minister he was in charge of Belgium’s National Lottery from 1999 to 2011.