Loading ...€1.5M Stuffed In Suitcase & Paper Bag: EU Parliament Bars Qataris From Premises As Graft Probe Widens
“With one hand, Socialists in the European Parliament put on a #OneLove armband. With the other hand, they lined their pockets with bribes from Qatar.”
The tiny but influential oil-and-gas rich Gulf country is alleged to have attempted to bribe MEPs with “large sums of money” and “substantial gifts” – including their assistants – in what media reports described as an expansive influence-peddling operation.
Kaili and three other officials remain in police custody amid a continuing investigation. Police announced late last week that they initially recovered 600,000 euros in cash in the raids. Politico in follow-up reported that in total, “The investigation has uncovered at least €1.5 million in stacks of euros stashed in a suitcase, a briefcase and even a paper bag.” So it seems Qatari representatives were waltzing into offices and handing out literal bags of cash.