Thousands of euros found in Reynders’ homes by police, media reports say

Belgian police found thousands of euros in cash while searching the residences of former European Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders, Le Soir reported on Friday.

Reynders was questioned as part of a money laundering probe and his properties were searched on Tuesday, just days after his term as European commissioner ended.

It is alleged Reynders, who as European commissioner was responsible for championing rule of law in the bloc, laundered money for years through the Belgian national lottery. The amount found at his homes was less than €10,000, according to the Le Soir report.

Reynders was previously investigated in 2019 on allegations of corruption and money laundering but maintained his innocence and prosecutors dropped the charges. He enjoyed a form of diplomatic immunity during his five-year term as a commissioner.

A spokesperson for the European Commission confirmed they were aware of the investigation and said they would collaborate with the Belgian authorities.

“We have, of course, seen the media reports about a case involving former Commissioner and former minister, Didier Reynders. We do not have any further information on this matter,” the spokesperson said. “If the Belgian authorities were to contact us, we are going to collaborate with them.”