London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jun 02, 2025

EU corruption scandal: Eva Kaili to stay in detention

EU corruption scandal: Eva Kaili to stay in detention

The MEP suspected of receiving bribes from Qatar has been detained since December 9. Eva Kaili's lawyers asked for her release under electronic surveillance, but the judge ruled that she shoud stay in custody.
A Belgian judge ruled on Thursday that European lawmaker Eva Kaili will remain in custody for another month as an investigations continue into corruption charges in a graft case involving World Cup host Qatar, Belgian prosecutors said. Kaili can appeal the decision within 24 hours.

Kaili is one of several people to have been arrested in the case.

She is accused of corruption, membership of a criminal organization and money laundering. Belgian police arrested her on December 9 after finding large sums of cash in her house. 

Her lawyers on Thursday said they requested her release and to be placed under electronic surveillance instead.

Kaili was "cooperating in an active manner" with the Belgian probe and she "rejects all corruption allegations against her," said Andre Risopoulos, one of her lawyers.

Michalis Dimitrakopoulos, another lawyer representing Kaili, said on Wednesday that she would not flee nor destroy evidence.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video


What is the EU corruption scandal? 

Kaili, who has been removed from her position as one of the European Parliament's 14 vice presidents, is suspected of having received bribes from Qatar to sway policy. Doha has denied involvement. 

Kaili's partner Francesco Giorgi, the head of an NGO allegedly used to funnel money and a former MEP-turned-lobbyist were also charged. 

Belgian media reported earlier this week that Kaili had acknowledged partial guilt and allegedly admitted to having been part of a group that facilitated funneling bribes from Qatar and Morocco to MEPs .

Giorgi is said to have named former Italian MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri as being the head of the organization.

Panzeri was also arrested on December 9 and has since been in custody. Police discovered some €600,000 ($637,000) in cash in his apartment in Belgium.

Belgian police have raided several apartments and European Parliament offices as part of the probe. They seized around €1.5 million in cash.

The scandal is one of the largest in EU history. It has done incalculable damage to the bloc's reputation and invoked calls for reform in the European Parliament.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
×