Belgian Official Under Scrutiny for Unexplained Cash Withdrawals from Youth Soccer School

The magazine reports on the cash withdrawals made in less than a month by the Molenbeek alderman, Abdellah Achaoui. According to the facts, the president of the ASBL Ecole des jeunes de l’Union Saint-Gilloise had withdrawn some 6,500 euros on November 8, 2019, from the ATM of the Belfius agency on the Barrière de Saint-Gilles. On Friday, November 29, he had withdrawn no less than 2,500 euros in cash, in six transactions, without any justification, while the ASBL of the Ecole des jeunes had already received the first tranche of the regional subsidy of 200,000 euros per year (160,000 euros) the day before.

The Medor article is already eliciting reactions, particularly in the ranks of the Socialist Party to which Abdellah Achaoui belongs. "We are a bit surprised. We are in the process of becoming acquainted with the file," said Rachid Barghouti, spokesperson for the mayor of Molenbeek, Catherine Moureaux (PS). "Now, we are trying to get more information. We will play transparency 100%. So, if what Medor writes is true, our reaction will be unequivocal. Until then, let’s wait to have more details," he added.