VP of European Parliament Eva Kaili among four detained in graft probe
Eva Kaili (File photo)
In a Belgian investigation into alleged corruption in the European Parliament linked to Qatar, four suspects have been charged and held in custody, according to prosecutors.
The four were not named by the federal prosecutor's office, but a legal source confirmed to AFP that they included Eva Kaili, a Greek socialist MEP and one of the vice presidents of the parliament.
The prosecutor's office reported that late Saturday, a second MEP's residence was searched.
"Four individuals have been arrested by the Brussels investigating judge who is leading the investigation," the Belgian federal prosecutor's office said in a statement.
"They are charged with participation in a criminal organisation, money laundering and corruption. Two persons have been released by the investigating judge."
Kaili was one of six suspects detained in Brussels on Friday as detectives looked into claims that individuals connected to the World Cup hosts Qatar had been paying bribes to sway EU policy discussions.
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The arrests came after raids in Brussels, according to the prosecution, during which $630,000 in cash was found. Mobile phones and computers were also seized by police.
She no longer has the authority to act as vice president of the Brussels and Strasbourg-based European Parliament, although she is still an MEP and is still protected from criminal punishment by law.
However, there is an exemption when a suspect is apprehended while committing a crime.
Kaili was taken before the judge after being stopped by Belgian police for having "bags of cash," the court source claims.
(With inputs from agencies)
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