Eva Kaili: More money found – Photo released

Belgian authorities release new information on the Qatargate scandal. According to the Belgian Le Soir, the money found by authorities, during the searches in the homes of the accused, exceeds 1.5 million euros.

According to what is published by Belgian daily Le Soir, more than 1,500,000 euros were found during the searches in the house of Eva Kaili and her partner, in her father’s suitcase, and also in the house of the Italian, former MEP, Pier Antonio Pantzeri.

This news overturns what we knew, since until now there was a report about the 600,000 euros found in the suitcase of her father, who was trying to escape from a Brussels hotel, as well as 150,000 in cash found in the house of the – now- ex vice-president of the European Parliament.

Specifically, from the new data it appears that during a search at the home of Pierre Antonio Panzeri in Brussels, the investigators of the Federal Judicial Police discovered approximately 600,000 euros. To this is added the money found in the possession of Eva Kaili‘s father (another 600,000 euros), as well as the money found in the house of the MEP and her partner Francesco Giorgi in Brussels.

The total, according to the Belgian media, exceeds 1.5 million euros.

See the photo released by Le Soir

It is recalled that both Eva Kaili, as well as Francesco Giorgi and Pier Antonio Panzeri are accused of participation in a criminal organization, corruption and money laundering.

The three, along with another man, have been taken into custody and are expected to appear in court on Wednesday. There it will be decided whether they will remain in prison until their case is heard.

The operation at Kaili’s house

The first step was to confiscate Giorgi’s mobile phone with those involved in the operation following him from the time he left the garage of the house until the time he was arrested.

According to the article, “a special police unit was waiting concealed outside the house of the Greek MEP, Eva Kaili, for Francesco Giorgi, her husband, t, as due to Mrs. Kaili’s immunity, becasue she was the vice-president of the European Parliament, the house could not be raided”.

Furthermore, the file concerning the involvement of the former vice-president was handled by meticulous investigators, while it is characteristic that the first minutes of the operation were not recorded in the national database of the Belgian police “in order to avoid any leaks”.

The findings in Kaili’s house

Bags and backpacks with cash were found in Eva Kaili’s house. “We usually find these findings in searches of drug dealers’ houses,” a source told Le Soir. “The cash is in 20 and 50 euro notes. Police have not determined the exact amount as the money has been sent to laboratories for analysis. But from converging sources it appears with conservative estimates that approximately 600,000 euros were found in the suitcases of Eva Kaili’s father and 150,000 euros in cash at the house of the Greek MEP” the publication adds.

Le Soir also points out that “Eva Kaili’s apartment was furnished with gifts bearing the signature of the country allegedly involved in the corruption scandal: medals and other valuable items from Qatar. So many elements for which the Kaili-Giorgi couple and the father of the Greek MEP had to give explanations over the weekend.”

“By Friday afternoon we were crying with joy,” says a second source close to the investigation. “Even if we take a step back from the facts, it’s an extremely serious and nauseating case.”

How Kaili’s father was nabbed

Le Soir also describes the scene that took place outside the Sofitel hotel in Brussels, starring the father of the former vice president of the European Parliament.

“He and his wife were in Brussels for a few days. Francesco Giorgi’s father-in-law was holding an ordinary suitcase only filled with 50 euro notes. He was brought in by the police team”

The Belgian newspaper claims that after what happened outside the hotel with Ms. Kaili’s father, it was decided that the immunity enjoyed by the vice-president of the European Parliament did not apply.

“It was immediately decided to mobilize a group of police officers who participated in the morning investigations of December 9. The chief financial prosecutor was with them . The search at the home of one of the 14 vice-presidents of the European Parliament was not planned. And this was not the first surprise,” the article says.