New scandal in AP corruption investigation

Immediately after the home and office of Belgian Member of the European Parliament, Marie Arena, were searched on 19 July, the home and workplace of her 32-year-old son, Ugo Lemaire, were also searched.

In the search it was found that a little more than 280 thousand euros were found in the apartment where his son lived, next to the house of the socialist deputy Arena.

Belgian authorities running the AP corruption investigation, which began in December 2022, said they do not yet know the origin of the money and are investigating whether the large amount of cash is related to previous corruption charges.

Marie Arena’s son is claimed to be among the founders of a five-partner company selling legal cannabis without psychoactive substances in 2018.

It was noted that the Belgian judicial authorities have not opened any new cases at this stage in relation to the previous investigation into corruption or drug trafficking or money laundering.

It has been reported that the deputy’s son, Lemaire, was previously mentioned in wiretaps. One of the main suspects, former Italian lawmaker Antonio Panzeri, said in a phone call that he had added Lemaire to the list of people to be given free tickets to FIFA World Cup matches in Qatar, according to the records. of the corruption investigation. in the PA. Lemaire had denied the claim for the free ticket.

AP CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION

In the investigation into corruption and money laundering launched by the Belgian authorities at the end of last year, Greek MEP Eva Kaili, then EP Vice-President, Pier Antonio Panzeri, a former Italian MEP, EP employee Francesco Giorgi, Kaili’s boyfriend, and Niccolo Figa-Talamanca, head of the NGO, said: The Italian deputy Andrea Cozzolino and the Belgian deputy Marc Tarabella were arrested.

At that time, approximately 1.5 million euros were seized during searches at the homes and workplaces of some suspects.

Panzeri, who is said to be the leader of the bribery ring, became a confessor by collaborating with the police. All those detained in the framework of the investigation in Belgium were released on parole.

Finally, during the searches carried out at the home and office of Marie Arena and at the homes of her relatives on July 19, some documents and devices, such as computers, were seized.

The name of Belgian Arena, one of the Socialist EP MEPs, was frequently mentioned in the press due to his communications with former Italian EP MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, the main suspect in the corruption investigation. (AA)