A Luxembourg court has convicted three men in the first criminal judgments
stemming from a wide-ranging investigation into alleged immigration and benefits
fraud that has exposed suspected corruption and document forgery within the
country’s residency system.
The defendants –– two Montenegrin nationals and one Serbian national –– received
suspended 12-month prison sentences after reaching plea agreements with
prosecutors. They admitted to obtaining Luxembourg residence permits between
2020 and 2022 by submitting fraudulent employment certificates and falsified
educational diplomas. The convictions remain subject to appeal. The case forms part
of a broader investigation announced by prosecutors in early July into suspected
criminal activity involving Luxembourg’s immigration system. Authorities are
examining allegations of corruption, influence peddling, money laundering,
document forgery, subsidy fraud, misuse of official documents, and migrant
smuggling.
According to prosecutors, the wider investigation encompasses more than 200 cases
and involves 27 suspects. Multiple government institutions, including the Ministry
of Education, municipalities, the national health insurer (CNS), and private
individuals, are reportedly linked to the inquiry. Local media reported that
investigators believe the convicted men may themselves have been exploited
through labor trafficking schemes allegedly organized by business operators. Their
cases are said to involve a court-certified translator who has emerged as one of the
principal suspects in the investigation.
The scandal has already prompted the suspension of several employees within
Luxembourg’s immigration directorate, while authorities have ordered an
independent audit of the Foreign Nationals Department. Prosecutors have also
conducted searches at immigration offices, the Ministry of Higher Education and
Research, and several businesses as the investigation continues.
