Fraud and white-collar crime in Belgium

Stibbe has a successful record in corporate crime, money-laundering, corruption, and all types of fraud cases, with a strong focus on litigation and out-of-court settlements and a specialism in anti-money laundering proceedings. Clients include businesses, directors, and individuals. The team works in tandem with the firm’s practice area specialists, bringing bespoke expertise to sector-specific cases. Hans Van Bavel heads up the team, and is a ‘top notch‘ name in corporate criminal law, regularly appearing before the Belgian Supreme Court. Counsel Elisabeth Baeyens focuses on procedural and advisory work. David Verwaerde, who was promoted to counsel in January 2022, specialises in white-collar crime and money laundering cases.

Independent boutique firm Arcas Law specialises in litigation, representing a broad range of clients, from SMEs and individuals through to mulitnationals, in white-collar crime and fraud cases against corporations and governments. The team represents clients up to the Belgian Court of Cassation, in international proceedings, and in complex cross-border arbitration and mediation, and maintains relationships with international litigation practices at other firms. Standout cases include high-profile proceedings in the energy sector, as well as relating to the ongoing cum-ex trading scandal. Dirk Libotte leads the team alongside Joost Verlinden, with strong specialisms in company criminal law and both civil and criminal white-collar cases respectively.

DLA Piper represents corporate clients in a broad range of white-collar crime cases, including financial fraud, gambling, bribery, money laundering, and tax fraud proceedings. Particular areas of expertise include financial fraud and insolvency, with practice head Joris De Vos and the experienced Ilse Van de Mierop specialising in work for distressed companies concerning bankruptcies and financial misconduct cases, alongside environmental fraud, an area of strength for Bob Martens. The team litigates before all levels of Belgian courts as well as at EU level, and is adept at representing clients in cross-border proceedings.

Eubelius handles a variety of cases, including bribery, money laundering, financial fraud, and corporate criminal matters, and also works with corporate clients on due diligence and compliance programmes. Clients include individuals, multinational companies, and public institutions. The team is led by Tom Bauwens, an ‘excellent and driven‘ litigator with a successful record in criminal defence proceedings, with senior associate Monica Rodriguez also a key name for white-collar criminal law matters.

HFW represents corporate and individual clients in a variety of sectors in corporate fraud, money-laundering, cyber-crime, tax fraud, corruption, social fraud, and other white-collar criminal proceedings. The firm acts across the life-cycle of proceedings, including investigations and negotiations with authorities, through to criminal trial proceedings, and leverages its international platform to work effectively in cross-border proceedings, and for foreign clients. Emmanuel Roger France heads up the team, representing clients in litigation and providing risk advisory support, with sector focuses including payment services, banking, telecoms, and healthcare. Senior associate An Schurmans is a specialist in criminal business law and asset recovery.

Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick has a notable focus on anti-money laundering and environmental infringement litigation, its litigators collaborating regularly with regulatory experts in its wider practice teams. Other areas of strength for the firm include criminal tax litigation and employment disputes, with clients including major Belgian and multinational companies, SMEs, and high net-worth individuals, both victims and alleged offenders. The practice is led by Magda Vandebotermet , who combines specific white-collar expertise with work on broad criminal issues across tax, employment, and environmental law. Associate Margot Vandebeek is a specialist in criminal corporate cases.

Lydian represents individuals and businesses in criminal cases and investigations, with particular focuses on employee fraud, contractual fraud, and most notably insurance fraud - the firm represents a number of insurance sector clients in complex insurance and reinsurance disputes. The team handles a wide range of Belgian-domiciled cases, and is also regularly referred international mandates by global firms. The practice is led by insurance sector specialist Hugo Keulers, Yves Lenders, who handles director liability and criminal contractual fraud cases, and Jan Hofkens, who focuses on employee fraud and privacy cases.

Monard Law has a broad offering across litigation and advisory work relating to fraud and white-collar crime cases, handling investigations, negotiations with authorities, and criminal proceedings for tax fraud, anti-money laundering, corruption, and customs and duties issues. Practice head Christiaan Barbier has expertise in high-level litigation and advisory work, representing directors and executives of major companies accused of malfeasance, while Tom Messiaen is noted for his role in social criminal cases, including modern slavery and cases brought by the families of industrial accidents victims. Frédéric Lettany represents clients in international (primarily EU and US-based) bribery and tax proceedings.

Deloitte leverages its strength in tax controversy work, representing clients in a number of high-value tax fraud proceedings, including criminal cases, as well as tax audits, negotiations with regulatory authorities, and litigating before domestic and European courts. The practice combines litigation and risk management expertise alongside strong tax knowledge, and is led by Jürgen Egger, Annick Visschers and Johan Speecke.

Strelia represents corporates, financial institutions, and individuals as victims and defendants in fraud and white-collar crime cases, with a particular focus on distressed and insolvent companies. Related areas of expertise include corporate fraud and embezzlement, market abuse, and insider trading. The practice is led by Sébastien Ryelandt, who has a strong record in banking litigation and liability proceedings, alongside a wide range of white-collar criminal cases.