Belgian prosecutor’s office charged another European Union lawmaker, Marc Tarabella, with corruption in a scandal that shocked the European Parliament, as reported by Le Soir daily. The investigation into the wide-ranging cash-for-influence scheme already led to several MEPs arrests and prosecutors are trying to determine if more EU officials were involved in illegal lobbying for Qatar and Morocco and money laundering.

Belgium detains another MEP in Qatargate investigation

The Belgian prosecutor’s office investigating the corruption scandal in the European Parliament decided to carry out renewed searches, and detained…

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Marc Tarabella, a Belgian member of the Democrat and Socialist grouping in the European Parliament, was detained on Friday. Federal prosecutors said he was charged with corruption, money laundering, and membership in a criminal organization as quoted by Belgian Le Soir.


Tarabella’s lawyer, Maxime Toller, said his client denied any wrongdoing during the questioning by Belgian prosecutors.

A spokesman for the Belgian prosecutor confirmed the arrest of the lawmaker, Marc Tarabella, as part of a yearslong inquiry into whether lawmakers accepted bribes from Qatar and Morocco. https://t.co/UJYhgI9Z74

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The so-called Qatargate scandal started last December when authorities charged four people linked to the European Parliament. The allegations made by the Belgian services concerned the World Cup 2022 host Qatar. The Arab country reportedly granted the MEPs and those close to their circle gifts and cash to influence decision-making on, among other things, easing the EU’s visa regime for its citizens.


Remaining in Belgian custody are Greek MEP and former Vice-President of the European Parliament Eva Kaili, Italian former MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, and two other individuals.