ING Belgium in the viewfinder of justice for its management of the Reynders file

Has ING “omitted” to report to the competent authorities the suspicious actions of his client Didier Reynders. Meanwhile, former Belgian Minister of Finance and Foreign Affairs, as well as European Ex-Commissioner? Nevertheless, Or more prosaically, has she covered him for several years? Nevertheless, Investigators have any place to suspect him since a legal proceedings have just been launched against the bank at. Furthermore, the lion. However,

These duties stem directly from the inspection report sent by the National Bank of Belgium (BNB) to the competent authorities. Meanwhile, The banking supervision institution analyzed the way in which ING managed the accounts. For example, transactions of its prestigious customer, raising questions about possible complacency.

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Money laundering: the Reynders affair is experiencing a new twist – Ing belgium viewfinder justice its

The investigation. However, distinct from that directly aimed at Didier ing belgium viewfinder justice its Reynders and his wife for suspicion of money laundering, focuses on the practices of the financial institution. Furthermore, Since last July. Therefore, the investigators of the Central Office for the Repression of Corruption (OCRC) regularly have heard former and current Ing leaders to determine if the one who was formerly the strong man of the French -speaking Belgian Liberal Party has benefited from special protection from his bank.

The elements that challenge justice are as follows: between 2008. However, 2018, details the French -speaking daily life The eveningDidier Reynders made cash payments on his ING account totaling nearly 700,000 euros. Furthermore, Faced with these recurring. However, voluminous deposits, the bank certainly questioned its client in 2018, but it chose not to report these unusual operations to the CTIF, the national body for the fight against money laundering. Nevertheless, It was not until 2023, with a considerable delay, that ing belgium viewfinder justice its I have finally made this compulsory declaration. Consequently, Why did you wait so long?

Games of money put at the service of whitening

The case takes on an additional dimension when we discover that after the questions of his bank in 2018. Reynders modified his financial behavior by turning massively to games of chance, always using species. The sums won at the lottery were systematically donated to its ING account. creating a circuit that the authorities deem suspicious. If Didier Reynders inevitably lost a part of the sums invested in the game. the gains were laundered, the investigators explain.

The survey reveals that Didier Reynders would have massively acquired electronic tickets for several years. The investigations report a financial flow of approximately one million euros requiring justifications. divided between 800,000 euros in cash and 200,000 euros devoted to the acquisitions of lottery ing belgium viewfinder justice its tickets.

A detection system that worked late

It was the national lottery itself which gave the alert. by detecting in 2021 abnormal game behavior via a gas station displaying an exceptionally high volume of ticket sales. An internal survey carried out in February 2022 confirmed an exceptional customer profile: the weekly deposit ceilings were systematically affected. exceeded, which can go up to 500 euros per individual account and 1,000 euros for a couple, while the accounts were quickly emptied by gains transfers.

Faced with these blatant anomalies, the lottery transmitted its observations to the federal prosecutor’s office. She did not interrupt the sale of tickets. blocked the accounts of the suspect customer not to compromise the current survey.

The searches carried out in the homes of the Reynders. in particular in Uccle and Vissoul, allowed the entry of around 7,000 ing belgium viewfinder justice its euros in cash. The interested party disputes any criminal intention. evoking a possible addiction to the game, and affirms his desire to cooperate fully to clarify the origin of the funds concerned. Didier Reynders is currently behind the policy. has not renewed his member card of the reforming movement (MR, French -speaking Liberal Party).

Banking obligations in the face of money laundering

This case highlights the strict. responsibilities of financial institutions in the fight against money laundering. “The law requires banks to collaborate in the fight against money laundering. the financing of terrorism”, explains the lawyer Pierre Proesmans in the columns of Evening. “In this context. they are subject to a series of specific obligations-in particular to identify their customers, to control their transactions and, in the event of suspicion of money laundering, to warn the CTIF.”

At the heart of these ing belgium viewfinder justice its obligations is the customer’s in -depth knowledge. including their identity, their residence, their professional activities and their sources of income. This surveillance must be continuous and must make it possible to identify unusual operations in relation to the established profile.

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Suspicions of money laundering: ING pointed out in the Reynders affair

Politically exposed persons. a category in which a former European minister and commissioner register naturally, are the subject of reinforced vigilance. This extended surveillance also concerns family members and third parties known for them.

This notification to the CTIF is compulsory as soon as the suspicion is born. But suspicion also has a subjective dimension …

No comments on a “specific file” at ING

The ING survey illustrates the potential consequences of a breach of these vigilance obligations. especially when it comes to customers benefiting from public ing belgium viewfinder justice its notoriety. The judicial authorities will have to determine whether the establishment has failed in its supervisory duties. whether specific considerations have influenced its management of the Reynders file.

For its part. ING declares that it is not being able to express themselves on a “specific file” but, in a more general framework, says it assumes “fully its role as guardian of the financial system” and claims to respect “all legal obligations in the fight against money laundering”.

In 2024. banks transmitted to the anti -iblanching body 39,642 declarations of suspicious operations, a figure almost identical to that of the previous year (40,129 declarations). These statistics highlight the intensity of the control exercised by the banking sector, but also the complexity of risk assessment.