Huawei Linked to Corruption Probe in European Parliament
Belgian authorities conduct 21 raids and multiple arrests in an investigation into alleged bribery tied to Huawei's lobbying efforts.
- Belgian federal prosecutors have launched an investigation into alleged corruption within the European Parliament, focusing on lobbying activities by Huawei since 2021.
- The investigation includes accusations of bribery through gifts, travel expenses, and payments to influence political decisions benefiting the Chinese telecom giant.
- Authorities conducted 21 searches in Belgium and three in Portugal, seizing documents and arresting several individuals, including lobbyists connected to Huawei.
- The probe targets an ex-parliamentary assistant now working as Huawei's public affairs director in Brussels; no current Members of European Parliament have been detained so far.
- This marks the second major corruption scandal in the European Parliament in recent years, following the 2022 Qatargate investigation involving alleged bribery by Qatar and Morocco.