Belgian police searched Didier Reynders' home and interrogated him on Tuesday, former Justice Commissioner of the European Commission until last Sunday, for an alleged money laundering offense. According to the Belgian newspaper Le Soir, the investigated events would have originated during his time leading the Belgian National Lottery and would extend at least until last year.
Reynders was particularly active against the Amnesty Law that the Government of Pedro Sánchez approved in favor of the imprisoned Catalan politicians and also mediated between the PSOE and PP to unblock the renewal of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ). He held the position of Justice Commissioner in the first Von der Leyen Commission from 2019 until the last day of November last year, and Belgian police reportedly waited until the end of his term to carry out both the search and the interrogation.
Previously, he accumulated extensive experience in the Belgian government as Minister of Finance from 1999 to 2011, and as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2011 to 2019. It was during the last years of his tenure in the economic Ministry, specifically between 2007 and 2011, when he also became the top official of the Belgian National Lottery.
It is during this time that the money laundering would have occurred through the purchase of lottery tickets, with transactions that would appear suspicious and for a significant amount. Specifically, as reported by Le Soir, Reynders would have purchased what are known as "e-tickets," vouchers ranging from one to 100 euros that can be transferred to a gaming account linked to the National Lottery. Some of these ticket purchases would have been made in cash, and the winnings would have been deposited into the former commissioner's digital lottery account and then transferred to his current bank account.
Reynders, as evidenced by his career, is one of the most prominent politicians in recent Belgian history, playing a key role in the French-speaking liberal party (Reformist Movement) and a training partner but also a rival of Charles Michel, former President of the European Council until last Sunday. In 2019, before being appointed commissioner, rumors circulated in Brussels that he may have accepted bribes, and in the final months of his term, he tried to remain in the European Commission, although ultimately the MR chose Hadja Lahbib, who currently holds the position of Crisis Preparedness, Management, and Equality.