Kickboxing Champion Ben Saddik Jailed: Money Laundering Scandal Rocks Combat Sports World

The Antwerp Court of Appeal has just sentenced Ben Saddik to this sentence for his involvement in the cross-border money laundering of 1.2 million euros from illegal activities, related to fictitious employment contracts, dubious real estate transactions and digital payments. Another blow for the Belgian-Moroccan who made his return to the Glory rings at the beginning of the year, after a long suspension for doping.

Karim. S, a football coach and entrepreneur in the Netherlands, had been sentenced in 2020 in the same case, to 42 months in prison for having laundered more than 2.5 million euros, recall Belgian sources. After investigations, the Belgian authorities discovered that Ben Saddik, his brother Said and a certain Emad N. are among the recipients of these illicit flows. Two suitcases containing nearly 508,000 euros in cash, as well as forged documents, were found at Emad. N’s home during a search.

Ben Saddik is known to the police for money laundering, violence and death threats in Brussels, possession of prohibited weapons and participation in a criminal organization. With this new conviction, his reputation takes a hit. In addition to the custodial sentences, the Court ordered the Moroccan champion to pay 40,000 euros in fines, his brother Said, 24,000 euros and Emad N., 16,000 euros. The court also ordered the seizure of the laundered funds, estimated at 1.23 million euros.