As part of the ongoing Qatargate investigation, Belgian law enforcement conducted a search at the residence of MEP Maria Arena last month, and concurrently searched the

home of her son, Ugo Lemaire. During this operation, authorities discovered a sum of 280,000 euros in cash, as reported by Le Soir on Wednesday. Presently, it remains unclear whether the found money is linked to the Qatargate scandal.

The search itself took place on 19 July. Maria Arena's legal counsel, Michèle Hirsch, conveyed her response at the time, stating, "I was requested to be present at my residence today following a visit by the investigating judge as part of the Qatargate investigation. I am confident that the investigation will demonstrate that I am not in any way implicated in this dossier."

Qatargate pertains to an ongoing political scandal involving suspicions of corruption, money laundering, and organized crime among several European Parliament officials, lobbyists, and their families. These activities are believed to be influenced by the governments of Qatar, Morocco, and Mauritania.

MEPs Eva Kaili, Marc Tarabella, and Andrea Cozzolino are considered suspects in this case. Former MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri has pleaded guilty. Arena's involvement came to light due to her association with Panzeri and her connections to the other three suspects.

In June, investigating magistrate Michel Claise decided to recuse himself from the case after it emerged that his son had been collaborating in a business venture with Lemaire since 2018.

In January, Arena stepped down from her position as chair of a European Parliament human rights committee after Politico revealed her failure to declare complimentary flights and accommodations at a luxury hotel, funded by the Qatari government. She refutes any participation in the Qatargate scandal. Photo by Sparrow (麻雀), Wikimedia commons.