Revealed: How the alleged Didier Reynders lottery laundering scam worked (or didn't)

Former Belgian finance minister and ex-EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders was questioned by police on Tuesday, 3 December, concerning suspicions of money laundering in part carried out through the National Lottery.

He has denied criminal allegations made against him, saying the funds were from his private estate, and that he's helping the magistrate with inquiries.

But fresh information now released by the Belgian National Lottery in a document seen by Euronews shines a spotlight on how the alleged scam may have worked — or didn't.

The allegation is that Reynders and his wife purchased e-tickets: lottery vouchers worth as much as €100 that can be bought in physical shops before they are deposited in a player’s online account. Winnings can then be transferred into a regular bank account.

First problem: e-tickets aren't a big part of the lottery's business model, so high sales volumes drew a lot of attention. In 2024, out of 6500 points of sale, just four sold more than €10,000 of e-tickets, the National Lottery has said.

In 2021, regular checks by the Lottery — which is co-owned by the Belgian state and sovereign wealth fund — noted one single point of sale had sold a large number of tickets; further probes suggest those were linked to just two accounts, identified as being politically sensitive.

Out of over one million people that play the lottery, the 39 accounts that deposited over €20,000 per year rang an extra alarm bell internally, the Lottery said.

Exactly two accounts stuck out like a sore thumb: they each deposited nearly €25,000, and raised extra suspicions because they reloaded using high-value e-tickets, and largely transferred rather than reinvesting winnings. 

Those two accounts, believed to be owned by