In the money laundering case involving Belgium's former European Commissioner Didier Reynders (MR), the ING Belgium bank has paid a €1.6 million settlement, reports the Brussels Public Prosecutor’s Office.
In November 2024, Reynders was formally charged with money laundering via lottery tickets and other potential offences. The activities spanned his time in positions of power in Belgium and the EU (but not during his time overseeing the National Lottery).
In a separate but connected case opened last summer, the Brussels Public Prosecutor's Office also started investigating the ING Belgium bank's role in the matter. This investigation followed a complaint filed by the National Bank of Belgium (NBB) in April 2025 against ING Belgium for possible complicity in money laundering.
"Money laundering can only be combated seriously and effectively provided that banking institutions – without any privilege and regardless of the client's status – comply with their anti-money laundering obligations as laid down by law," said Brussels Public Prosecutor Julien Moinil on Tuesday.
"Vigilance on the part of banking institutions is all the more required when dealing with public figures holding high-level positions. Failure to report instances of money laundering allows these acts to continue and assists the perpetrators in committing the offence," he added.
'Corrective action, without admission of guilt'
The NBB's report about ING Belgium's possible criminal offences explained that it requested an explanation from ING Belgium, following various press articles citing suspicions of money laundering by Reynders.
In the NBB's view, the explanation revealed indications of a criminal offence, in particular, possible complicity in money laundering.
For too long, ING Belgium allegedly failed to report suspicious cash deposits made by Reynders to the Financial Intelligence Unit.
According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, it concerns 245 cash deposits between 2001 and 2017, totalling €836,500, and 779 e-Lotto transfers between 2017 and 2024, totalling €202,491. Together, this amounts to well over €1 million.
The investigation was conducted by the Central Service for Combating Corruption under the direction of the Public Prosecutor.
According to the Public Prosecutor's Office, the facts under investigation "lend themselves to an out-of-court settlement" as they are of a financial nature, do not involve any serious harm to a person's physical integrity and, as a legal person is involved, the law only permits a financial penalty.
As the investigation confirmed the findings of the National Bank, the Public Prosecutor proposed to ING Belgium that it pay €1,600,000 (the maximum amount provided for by the current Criminal Code for money laundering).
ING Belgium agreed to this, "demonstrating corrective action" but "without this constituting an admission of guilt", in the bank's view. As it has since paid the proposed amount, the proceedings against ING Belgium have been dropped.
Additionally, two individuals, who are no longer employed by the bank, were identified and questioned. A decision has yet to be taken regarding them.
