More than three years have passed since the largest scandal ever to hit the European Parliament erupted, fundamentally shaking the institution's reputation. Known as "Qatargate," this Brussels corruption scandal has since extended its reach to numerous locations. Recently, a high-ranking Belgian police official was suspended from duty, accused of leaking details related to the investigation.

On Monday, Philippe Noppé, head of the Belgian federal police’s central office for serious and organized crime (OCDEFO), was informed of his suspension, according to a senior Belgian police official speaking to Euractiv. Neither the Belgian police nor Noppé immediately responded to requests for comment. La Libre reports that the decision is linked to the Qatargate scandal, which erupted at the end of 2022 and has shaken the European Parliament. An internal investigation has been launched due to leaked police documents, following accusations against unidentified individuals for sharing confidential information, thereby violating the investigation’s secrecy.

Although no one has been convicted, the investigation has already caused turmoil within the Belgian police force.

Top Belgian police official suspended over Qatargate leaks probe https://t.co/sNc02cEGCQ pic.twitter.com/eI2tlR0zvP

— Euractiv (@Euractiv) January 6, 2026

Earlier, in February 2025, inspectors conducted searches at the office and home of Hugues Tasiaux, who was then the acting head of the anti-corruption control center (OCRC). This is another police body that played a key role in the Qatargate case. Tasiaux was later accused of breaching official secrecy and subsequently suspended, although he denied any wrongdoing.

Illustration – The threads of the Brussels corruption scandal reach all the way to the Belgian police (Photo: AFP)

The Brussels corruption scandal has been ongoing for three years. Notably, Federica Mogherini, the former EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, was detained in early December in Belgium during a fraud investigation. Mogherini led the EU’s diplomatic service from 2014 to 2019 and later served as rector of the prestigious College of Europe. She was questioned alongside two others over suspicions of procurement fraud, corruption, and conflicts of interest related to an EU-funded diplomatic training program. The Italian diplomat, who was eventually released until charges were filed, has since resigned from her position at the College of Europe.

This latest corruption scandal has once again drawn attention to Qatargate, as the investigation progresses at a snail’s pace.

The central figure in the Brussels corruption scandal is Eva Kaili, the former Vice-President of the European Parliament, who became embroiled in the case when Belgian police announced in December 2022 that they had discovered €150,000 in cash—reportedly in large bags—at her Brussels residence during raids. Kaili is under investigation for corruption, money laundering, and organized crime, alongside her partner, Francesco Giorgi, and former socialist MEP Antonio Panzeri.

After being stripped of her parliamentary immunity, Kaili was held in pre-trial detention for four months before being placed under house arrest with an electronic tag until May 2023, when she returned to the European Parliament. Throughout, Kaili has maintained her innocence, but she is currently facing charges of participation in a criminal organization, corruption, and money laundering.

Eva Kaili and Francesco Giorgi (Fotó: AFP)

Her partner, Francesco Giorgi, a parliamentary assistant and former aide to Panzeri, has admitted to accepting bribes but claims that Kaili was not directly involved in the corruption case. He is the father of Kaili’s daughter.

At the heart of the case is the allegation that Qatar, Morocco, and Mauritania sought to influence decisions in the European Parliament by paying bribes to MEPs and staff — Euronews reminds us. Authorities claim the system aimed to prevent parliamentary resolutions condemning Qatar’s human rights situation and to ensure visa liberalization for Qatari citizens. Both Qatar and Morocco deny the allegations.

Judges Have Also Become Involved

The case took another turn when Michel Claise, the investigating judge who ordered Kaili’s arrest, was forced to step down in June 2023 after it emerged that his son was a business partner of Marie Arena, a Belgian socialist MEP, who was later implicated in the scandal. Defense lawyers argue that Claise was aware of these connections and should have recused himself from the prosecution earlier, claiming that Claise defended Arena by delaying the charges.

Marie Arena was charged in January with participation in a criminal organization.

The case has significantly expanded since the initial arrests. In March of last year, prosecutors requested the suspension of immunity for Italian socialist and democratic MEPs Elisabetta Gualmini and Alessandra Moretti.

To date, at least ten individuals have been charged, including Panzeri, Cozzolino, and former MEP Marc Tarabella, as well as Niccolò Figá-Talamanca and Luca Visentini, the General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation.

Breaking: Investigating judge charged former Member of the European Parliament, Maria Arena with „participating in a criminal organization”.

The socialist politician was the chair of the human rights committee in the Parliament.

OLAF, EPPO or other EU authorities failed to… pic.twitter.com/PGSq6kCrDp

— András LÁSZLÓ MEP 🇭🇺 (@laszloan) January 18, 2025