Moroccan Officials Embroiled in Massive Corruption Scandal

Council presidents and influential elected officials are allegedly involved in the embezzlement of public funds, which they invest in the capital of private companies belonging to them or registered in the name of their spouses or children, according to sources close to Hespress, specifying that, in parallel with the ANRF’s investigations, the regional brigades of the judicial police specialized in financial crimes, under the supervision of the competent prosecutor’s office, are also conducting in-depth investigations into the activities of the companies in which the embezzled public funds are said to have been invested.

These companies operate mainly in the private security, cleaning, vehicle rental, public works and construction sectors. As part of their investigations, the ANRF elements obtained information from the General Directorate of Taxes (DGI) on the declarations of these companies, noting discrepancies between the actual profits and those declared. The detailed analysis of their bank statements also made it possible to discover suspicious transfers to the current accounts of partners, as well as several financial commitments related to expenses and transfers intended to cover the maturities of vehicle and equipment purchase or rental contracts, resold to third parties.

These accounts are under tax surveillance, after the discovery of cases of misuse for the introduction of funds of unknown origin. The elements of the regional brigade of the judicial police also proceeded to administrative restrictions with the registration centers under the National Road Safety Agency (NARSA) on the registration documents of luxury vehicles belonging to companies linked to influential elected officials and their relatives, the same sources specify, adding that these vehicles are the subject of investigations. The same applies to real estate, including apartments, land and warehouses, registered with the National Land Registry Agency.

The ANRF received a total of 5,171 suspicious money laundering reports in one year, and transmitted 54 files to the King’s Prosecutors near the courts of Rabat, Casablanca, Fès and Marrakech, as well as to the Attorney General of the King near the Court of Appeal of Rabat. All these files concern alleged facts of money laundering and other related offenses, or operations related to the financing of terrorism.