Belgium’s federal prosecutor has charged four people with money laundering, corruption, and participating in a criminal organization following an investigation into alleged attempts by a Gulf country to influence the European Union’s parliament with money and gifts.
The four unnamed individuals are among six taken to be questioned by Belgian police following raids that began across 16 properties in the capital city of Brussels on Dec. 9, officially international anti-corruption day.
Those raids—during which police reportedly seized computers, mobile phones, and €600,000 ($633,500) in cash—were the result of an investigation that started in mid-July 2022 regarding an alleged criminal organization infiltrating the EU parliament and attempting to interfere with political decisions….