Belgian Prosecutors Admit To Have Mistaken Daniel Attard In Huawei Corruption Probe

Belgian prosecutors have acknowledged that a Maltese Member of the European Parliament was wrongly accused of receiving payments from China during a corruption investigation linked to Chinese technology company Huawei.

The mix up involved Maltese MEP Daniel Attard, who had been suspected of receiving “suspicious” payments from bank accounts in China and Hong Kong.

Politico reported that, according to several people familiar with the matter, the Belgian prosecutor’s office informed the European Parliament’s legal affairs committee in early March that the allegation was based on an identification error.

In a letter sent to the committee, prosecutors said Belgium’s financial transactions watchdog had mistakenly attributed the bank account to the lawmaker.

The account in question actually belonged to a Maltese businessman who shares the same name. The allegation had been included in a dossier submitted to the committee, which is responsible for deciding whether an MEP’s parliamentary immunity should be lifted.

The error was confirmed after members of the European Parliament asked Belgian authorities to verify that the correct individual had been identified.

The businessman involved, also named Daniel Attard, said his legal practice involves advising international clients on Maltese residency matters and receiving professional fees from clients in different jurisdictions.

He said these activities are unrelated to the Huawei investigation and stressed that the company has never been a client.

The businessman previously served as a mayor for Malta’s Labour Party and was involved in a business linked to Malta’s so called golden passport scheme, which allowed foreign nationals to obtain residency through investment. The programme was ruled illegal by the European Court of Justice in April 2025.

MEP Attard said the incident highlights the importance of due process and careful verification of facts. He said he will continue cooperating with the European Parliament and relevant authorities until the matter is resolved.

#MaltaDaily