Several people have been arrested and homes searched as part of an investigation into alleged bribery and corruption involving the European Parliament and the Chinese tech giant Huawei, Belgian prosecutors have confirmed.
The investigating judge overseeing the case has requested that seals be placed on the offices of two European Parliament assistants suspected of being involved in the scandal. “The alleged bribery is said to have benefited Huawei,” Belgium’s federal prosecutor stated in a press release on Thursday, following an initial statement that did not mention the company.
The first release indicated that multiple individuals had been arrested for questioning regarding their involvement in “active corruption within the European Parliament,” along with charges of forgery and use of forgeries. The prosecutor further detailed that the alleged offences were “committed by a criminal organisation” and had been regularly and discreetly practiced from 2021 to the present. European countries have faced mounting pressure from the United States since the first Donald Trump administration not to incorporate Huawei equipment in their 5G networks due to national security concerns.
Huawei has yet to respond to requests for comment regarding the situation.
The individuals implicated in the alleged “cash for influence” scheme are believed to have been paid to take certain political stances or offered “excessive gifts” such as food, travel expenses, and invitations to sporting events in exchange for promoting private commercial interests in political decision-making, according to the prosecutor.
The investigation is also looking into potential money laundering, as there are suspicions that intermediaries may have received payments to conceal the financial transactions.
Belgian media and the investigative outlet Follow the Money initially reported the allegations, revealing that approximately 15 current and former Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) were “on the radar” of the investigators. Authorities have confirmed that “several people” have been arrested for questioning, including one male suspect in France, who was apprehended under a European arrest warrant. Over 100 police officers conducted more than 21 searches across Belgium and in Portugal. The European Parliament has said, “We have received a request for cooperation from the Belgian authorities to assist the investigation, which the parliament will swiftly and fully honour.”
Transparency advocates have compared the seriousness of these allegations to the “Qatargate” scandal that rocked the European Parliament three years ago, which involved former high-ranking officials and was tied to corruption and money laundering benefiting Qatar.
In January 2025, former Belgian MEP Marie Arena announced she had been charged with involvement in a criminal organisation as part of the ongoing investigation. All parties involved have denied any wrongdoing, and the case has yet to reach trial.
