Huawei Lobbying Scandal Leads to EU Corruption Investigation and Arrests

Belgian authorities have arrested multiple individuals and conducted raids tied to allegations of bribery and forgery involving Huawei and European Parliament members.

Belgian prosecutors have arrested several people and conducted 21 raids across Belgium and Portugal as part of a corruption investigation involving Huawei and the European Parliament.
The investigation alleges that Huawei lobbyists bribed current and former MEPs with payments, excessive gifts, and lavish expenses to influence political decisions in favor of the company.
Authorities are examining potential money laundering linked to the alleged bribery, with payments reportedly disguised as conference expenses and routed through intermediaries.
Huawei’s European offices and the homes of lobbyists were among the locations searched, but the company has not yet issued a public comment on the allegations.
This marks the second major corruption scandal involving the European Parliament in recent years, following the 2022 Qatargate scandal, which also damaged the institution's reputation.