25-06-2025
Belgian-Moroccan couple faces charges over pension received while living abroad
A Belgian-Moroccan couple is facing charges in Liège criminal court for allegedly defrauding the Belgian pension system out of hundreds of thousands of euros. According to La Dernière Heure, the pair received old-age benefits for years despite spending most of their time in Morocco.
The fraud came to light in 2022, after an anonymous tipster sent twenty letters to the Federal Pensions Service detailing the couple's frequent travel and prolonged stays abroad.
The couple had acquired Belgian nationality through their son, who married a Belgian woman of Moroccan descent. He later filed for family reunification, enabling his parents to apply for naturalization and claim the income guarantee for the elderly.
The labor prosecutor is seeking a €6,400 fine for each parent, and €5,600 for the son, who is accused of assisting in the fraud. He admitted to helping with paperwork and buying plane tickets but denied knowledge of any wrongdoing.
Defense lawyers are requesting leniency, citing the couple's age, limited French proficiency, and difficulty navigating Belgian bureaucracy.
