Kaili was detained by Belgian prosecutors on Friday and had charges pressed against her two days later, the politico.eu news service reported.
Charges of money laundering, corruption
In a statement released on Sunday, the Belgian federal prosecutor’s office said: “It is suspected that third parties in political and/or strategic positions within the European Parliament were paid large sums of money or offered substantial gifts to influence Parliament’s decisions.”
The statement added that four of six people detained on Friday have been charged with “participation in a criminal organization, money laundering and corruption,” while the other two have been released, according to politico.eu.
The four people charged include Kaili, who represents the European Parliament’s centre-left Socialists and Democrats group, as well as her partner, Francesco Giorgi, the PAP news agency reported, citing Belgium’s L’Echo newspaper.
Also among those charged are ex-MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri and an unnamed lobbyist, politico.eu reported.
Meanwhile, Kaili’s father and Luca Visentini, the newly elected general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, who were also detained in the probe, have since been released, according to reports.
Suspension, expulsion
Kaili has been suspended in her role as vice president of the European Parliament following her detention on Friday, a spokesperson for European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said on Saturday.
Kaili has also been expelled from her Greek party Pasok, PAP reported.
Cash hidden in bags
During searches at 16 properties around Brussels on Friday, Belgian police also seized computers, mobile phones, EUR 600,000 in cash at the home of one of the suspects, The Guardian reported, and an as-yet unspecified, six-figure sum of cash hidden in bags at Kaili’s house, according to PAP.
The ongoing investigation centres on speeches by MEPs who had publicly backed Qatar. The Persian Gulf state, which is currently hosting the football World Cup, is suspected of bribing key figures in the European Parliament in a bid to enhance its public image, the PAP news agency reported, citing the L’Echo newspaper.
(pm/gs)
Source: PAP, politico.eu, theguardian.com