The Belgian Prosecutor’s Office has accused three other people in the corruption scandal of Huawei, increasing the number of the accused to eight.
Three other people were charged with the investigation of suspicions of corruption in the European Parliament, which allegedly involved in Huawei’s Chinese technology concern. This was announced on Friday by the Belgian Prosecutor’s Office. In this case, eight people are thus skilled in Belgium. According to the AFP report, TASR reports this.
The accusations were preceded by police raids in Belgium and Portugal about three weeks ago. This is part of the investigation launched in 2021, which concerns suspicions of illegal payments by Huawei. These payments were supposed to ensure the support of MEPs in the interest of the Chinese society in the introduction of the 5G telecommunications network.
New charges in case
The authorities initially detained and accused five people – four of corruption and membership of a criminal organization and one of the money laundering. In the meantime, they were conditionally released, while the remaining three deployed electronic bracelets.
The Belgian Prosecutor’s Office has now said that from 20 to 29 March it was charged with three other three persons in custody. She did not disclose details of the identity of the suspects, according to her, they are accused of corruption, money laundering and participation in a criminal organization.
In the total number of persons accused in Belgium, the persons are not included or sought by the Belgian authorities abroad. Among them is Lucia Simeone, assistant to MEP Fulvia Martusciel, who was detained by the Italian police.
The investigation of Huawei began two years after the Qatargate scandal, in which several MEPs were accused of illegal lobbying in favor of Qatar and Morocco. Both countries deny such allegations.
Huawei’s response
Huawei has recently declared that it is seriously taking accusations of bribery in connection with the investigation in the EP. She stated that Huawei applies a zero tolerance policy towards corruption and other unlawful conduct.
