As part of the money laundering investigation into former European commissioner and Belgian cabinet minister Didier Reynders, the premises of a Brussels-based antiques dealer have been raided media outlet news Nationale 4 reports. The Brussels public prosecutor's office has confirmed the news. The antiques dealer is said to belong to the former minister's close entourage.
Home News
Well-known Brussels antiques dealer raided in money laundering investigation into Didier Reynders
Colin Clapson
Published:
The searches happened last month. Police raided both the home and shop of antiques dealer O. T. in Brussels.
T. is well known in the antiques world. For many years he ran a gallery in the Zavel district of Brussels. It was this gallery among other locations that was raided. The business specialises in French furniture and works of art from the 17th and 18th centuries. T. is also the director of one of Belgium’s most important art fairs.
Money laundering investigation Didier Reynders
The searches are part of the ongoing judicial investigation into former European commissioner and former Belgian minister Didier Reynders (Francophone liberal MR). He is suspected of having laundered EUR 1 million, partly through lottery tickets from the National Lottery. Reynders denies the allegations.
What the antiques dealer's involvement is in the money laundering investigation is still unclear. Whether he was questioned and whether or not any incriminating items were found, the prosecutor's office would not disclose. The judicial authorities have not named T. as a suspect. Didier Reynders has also not been officially charged either.
Lengthy probe
Media outlet Nationale 4, founded by French-language investigative journalist Philippe Engels, was first to report the news. The journalist has been homing in on Didier Reynders for some time. According to Engels, the antiques dealer belongs to Reynders' close entourage.
Antiques dealer and consular judge
For a while antiques dealer T. also served as a lay, consular or commercial judge in business cases. Such judges are people from the business world who bring practical knowledge to corporate court cases.
Consular judges, for all intents and purposes, are not lawyers or professional judges. They are appointed by the King, on the recommendation of a minister.
During the 2012 municipal elections, T. was also on the Francophone liberal MR list of candidates in the Walloon Brabant town of Lasne, but did not get elected.
Nationale 4 has asked T. for a comment, but he has declined to go on the record.