Former Anderlecht boss held in corruption probe
http://www.hrlnews.com/2019/09/former-anderlecht-boss-held-in.html
Former Anderlecht general manager Herman Van Holsbeeck was held on
Thursday as part of a corruption probe linked to the transfer of Serbian
striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, a source close to the investigation told
AFP.
The detention came a day after the arrest in Monaco of agent
Christophe Henrotay — whose clients include Belgium and Real Madrid
goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois — as part of the same probe.
The investigation centres on alleged illegal payments made as part of
Mitrovic’s moves from Partizan Belgrade to Anderlecht in 2013 and then
from the Belgian side to Newcastle United, the source said.
The 24-year-old Serb, who has enjoyed a bright start to the season
with five goals in six games for Championship side Fulham, moved from
Anderlecht to St James’ Park for 18.5 million euros (13 million pounds)
in 2015.
Belgian daily Le Soir reported that Henrotay is suspected of making
illegal payments to Anderlecht bosses including Van Holsbeeck at the
time of Mitrovic’s move from Partizan for around five million euros —
then a record for the 34-time Belgian champions.
The 64-year-old Van Holsbeeck was a top figure at Anderlecht for
around 15 years before being removed when new management took over in
2018.
A spokesman for Belgian prosecutors confirmed an arrest in the investigation, without giving names.
Police launched seven raids on Tuesday and Wednesday in Belgium,
Monaco and London, making two arrests including Henrotay in the wealthy
Mediterranean principality.
Eric Van Duyse, spokesman for the Belgian Federal Prosecutor’s
Office, told AFP that two men were being held after being indicted for
“money laundering, forgery and the use of forgeries, private corruption
and criminal conspiracy”.
The inquiry is separate from Belgium’s so-called “footballgate”
scandal, which has resulted in 20 suspects being charged since October
2018, including agents, referees and club officials, in a vast
investigation into fraud and match-fixing.