[WAPO] BRUSSELS — The de facto capital of the European Union is being rocked by explosive allegations that World Cup host Qatar bribed current and former European Parliament officials to try to influence decisions at the highest levels.After at least 20 raids across Brussels since Friday morning, including within the offices of the European Parliament, Belgian authorities have confiscated more than $1 million in cash, frozen the technology access of 10 parliamentary officials to preserve data for the investigation and held six people for questioning. On Sunday, a Belgian judge charged four of them, saying they are suspected of money laundering, corruption and taking part in a criminal organization on behalf of a "Gulf State."
European authorities have yet to confirm the implicated country, but Belgian media identified the state as Qatar and reported that those charged included a European Parliament vice president, Eva Kaili, and her partner, parliamentary assistant Francesco Giorgi, as well as a former member of the European Parliament, Pier Antonio Panzeri. Others reportedly caught up in the investigation include the head of a Brussels-based union and an unnamed Italian national.
Qatar has denied wrongdoing. Whether there is any connection to the World Cup remains unclear.
But within E.U. institutions, this is being talked about as the biggest scandal in recent memory. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the response will test "the credibility of Europe."
Here’s what you need to know.