Belgian police searched Didier Reynders' home and interrogated him on Tuesday, the former European Commissioner for Justice until this past Sunday, for an alleged money laundering offense. As reported by the Belgian newspaper Le Soir, the investigated events are believed to have originated during his time leading the Belgian National Lottery and are said to have continued at least until last year.
Reynders was particularly active against the Amnesty Law that the Spanish 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 had 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 final years of his tenure in the economic ministry, specifically between 2007 and 2011, that he also became the head of the Belgian National Lottery.
It is during this time that the money laundering is believed to have occurred through the purchase of lottery tickets, with transactions that raised suspicions due to their high amounts. Specifically, as reported by Le Soir, Reynders allegedly 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 were allegedly made in cash, and the winnings were reportedly deposited into the former commissioner's digital lottery account and then transferred to his regular 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 being both a colleague and a rival of Charles Michel, former President of the European Council until this past Sunday. In 2019, before being appointed as 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 the MR ultimately chose Hadja Lahbib, who currently holds the position of Crisis Management, Preparedness, and Equality.