Since the expansion of the plea bargain law in 2011, nearly 2,000 people have avoided prosecution by paying a sum of money.
These transactions have generated nearly one billion euros for the state treasury, according to figures released on Friday by Flemish media outlet VRT NWS.
In 13 years, 1,847 suspects have benefited from the plea bargain procedure, with required amounts varying by case.
For example, an agreement between the Brussels Public Prosecutor’s office and Swiss bank HSBC in 2019 included a payment of €300 million.
In 2021, textile giant Beaulieu and Swiss bank UBS also used this procedure in tax fraud cases.
Although plea bargains are available for various offences, they are predominantly used in tax fraud cases.
