Belgian police have raided multiple properties connected to former European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders in an investigation into alleged money laundering, according to reports from Follow the Money and Belgian newspaper Le Soir.
Reynders, who served as EU justice commissioner from 2019 to 2024 and as Belgian finance minister from 1999 to 2011, is accused of purchasing lottery tickets through the National Lottery during his tenure as minister and allegedly funneling the resulting profits into his personal accounts.
The investigation has reportedly been underway for several months, but authorities chose to wait until Reynders’ EU term ended on Sunday, which also marked the expiration of his immunity as a Commissioner. Before this date, conducting a raid would have required approval from the College of Commissioners, a scenario that could have compromised the investigation given Reynders’ membership in the group.
One of the properties involved in the raids was reportedly Reynders’ private residence. He was questioned by police until Tuesday evening.
Reynders had previously been investigated for similar allegations of corruption and money laundering in 2019, but he maintained his innocence, and the case was eventually dropped.
