In Limburg and Antwerp, the federal judicial police carried out a total of 16 searches as part of an ongoing investigation into a suspected criminal organization that provides financial advice to other criminal networks. Nine people were arrested, and a firearm, documents, data storage devices, and 140,000 euros in cash were seized.
Bruno Coppin from the Limburg prosecutor’s office explained, “Specifically, it is a criminal organization that we believe supports other criminal networks with financial and accounting advice, allowing those criminals to commit a large number of offenses. The damage in this case amounts to tens of millions of euros.”
The prosecutor’s office mentioned charges including social, tax, and bankruptcy fraud, as well as scams and money laundering. The targeted accounting firm has over 400 clients and is suspected of providing advice as well as creating ghost companies and front figures that enable these crimes to take place.
For instance, in money laundering, illegally earned money is spent by investing it in businesses or real estate, which can harm honest individuals trying to compete fairly in the market.
The police conducted raids in various cities including Genk, Beringen, Houthalen-Helchteren, Bocholt, Pelt, Alken, and Antwerp, resulting in the arrest of nine individuals. The progress of the investigation will depend on the findings in the seized documents and interrogations, with the investigating judge deciding whether they will be presented to court and detained.
The financial unit of the Federal Judicial Police in Limburg and the Limburg prosecutor’s office initiated the investigation targeting facilitators. These are specialized individuals, such as financial professionals, who support criminal networks with their expertise.
Their financial advice aids criminals in committing a multitude of offenses, making it crucial to identify and prosecute these facilitators. The latest annual report from the anti-money laundering unit warns about the dangers of the professionalization of such facilitators, emphasizing the importance of monitoring them closely.