The Libyan ambassador to Belgium, Amel Jerary, is suspected of having transferred hundreds of thousands of euros of Libyan public money to her son’s company.
According to an investigation by Le Soir, Jerary is suspected of making suspicious payments amounting to hundreds of thousands of euros to her son’s company, A.A.Agar Trade. Jerary and her son deny any wrongdoing and claim that the money was not embezzled but used for a real contract.
Some of these transfers have led to a judicial inquiry, such as a transfer of €231,000 from a Belgian embassy account to a Belgian company in Liedekerke, for the purpose of sending €220,500 to the German company A.A.Agar Trade for the purchase of MRI machines. The money did not arrive at its destination, leading to fears of embezzlement at the expense of the embassy.
The Belgian prosecutor’s office froze the company’s accounts but recovered only €118,000. Other transfers totalling €319,000 were made directly to the son’s German company for the purchase of medical equipment.
The Halle-Vilvoorde public prosecutor’s office confirmed the existence of the file on suspicion of fraud (or theft) against the Liedekerke company, but declined to comment "in the interest of the investigation."
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The boss of the suspected company was questioned by police earlier this year. He did not respond to an e-mail from Le Soir about this specific matter.
Jerary and her son "vehemently deny having committed any reprehensible act whatsoever, and in particular a suspected misappropriation of Libyan public funds," said their lawyer, Olivia Vene.
