Italian court hears request for 2nd suspect in EU scandal

An Italian court is hearing an appeal against turning over to Belgium a woman who is charged along with her parents in an influence-peddling scandal in the European Parliament

An Italian court on Tuesday was hearing an appeal against turning a woman over to Belgium to face charges along with her parents in an influence-peddling scandal in the European Parliament.

Sylvia Panzeri, a lawyer, is being sought to face charges of participating in a criminal group, corruption and money laundering in Brussels.

Panzeri, 38, is the daughter of ex-EU deputy Antonio Panzeri, who has been arrested in Brussels with three other suspects, and Maria Dolores Colleoni, whom Italian judges a day earlier ordered turned over to Belgian authorities on an arrest warrant that cited her role in managing gifts from Qatar and Morocco.

Antonio Panzeri and three other people were charged Dec. 9 with corruption, participation in a criminal group and money laundering. Belgian prosecutors are investigating if they “were paid large sums of money or offered substantial gifts to influence parliament’s decisions.”

The allegations that cash and gifts were exchanged for political influence are at the heart of one of the biggest scandals to hit the European Parliament. Lawmakers last week suspended work on Qatar-related files and vowed to toughen lobbying laws. Qatar vehemently denies its involvement. The Moroccan Foreign Ministry declined comment on Tuesday.

Panzeri and her mother face five years in prison if found guilty of participation in a criminal group, corruption and money laundering, according to the warrants. Both are under house arrest at their home near Bergamo.

Colleoni denied the accusations contained in the arrest warrant, seen by the Associated Press, while addressing the court on Monday. After deliberating for five hours, the judges delivered a detailed decision to turn her over at the request of Belgian authorities.

Her lawyers are considering an appeal to Italy’s highest court, which must be filed within five days of the decision. The court then would have 10 days to issue a decision.

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Tarik El-Barakah in Rabat, Morocco, contributed to this story.