The judicial investigation into the fraudulent misappropriation of funds from the Caritas Foundation has entered a new phase with the concerted action carried out in three European countries by the Bulgarian, French and British police services, supported by eight Luxembourg investigators from the FAME Section (Formation, Appui et Méthodologie Ecofin--Ecofin Training, Support and Methodology) and two investigating members of the FAST unit (Fugitive Active Search Team), all from the judicial police service of the grand ducal police.

This action, carried out under the direction and control of the sole Luxembourg examining magistrate, led to the arrest of eight people wanted and reported by European arrest warrants requested by the public prosecutor in Luxembourg because of indications of guilt weighing on them in connection with the laundering of the embezzled sums of money. Searches of the homes of these individuals were carried out at the same time, the press release states.

Exemplary international cooperation

“These advances in the investigation have only been possible with the help of the constant and meticulous efforts of all the national players and the infallible international cooperation channels such as Europol, Interpol and Eurojust,” said the Luxembourg public prosecutor’s office.

At this stage, around one hundred messages have been exchanged via the Siena (secure information exchange network application) platform, around 30 European investigation decisions and international letters of request have been issued to the foreign authorities of 13 states, 27 search and seizure orders have been issued, and 54 orders for the seizure of funds frozen in Luxembourg and abroad have been issued. A large number of meetings were organised at all levels between the competent authorities and investigators.

The Luxembourg authorities are still awaiting the handover of the people arrested by the French and Bulgarian authorities and the fate of the assets seized abroad. For the time being, it is not possible to determine the size of the sums that may ultimately be recovered.

Luxembourg’s authorities also took the opportunity to thank their foreign counterparts for their efforts and assistance in optimising the preparation of the recent duties, and for their collaboration in ensuring the success of this concerted action. “The operation has made it possible to gather additional evidence and clues to help establish the truth, and to make progress in a voluminous and wide-ranging investigation. The investigations, which are still being conducted in close collaboration with the Luxembourg Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), have only just begun and are following their course.”

“It goes without saying that those arrested enjoy the presumption of innocence,” reiterates the Luxembourg public prosecutor’s office.

This article was originally published in .