Belgian prosecutors have seized more than €65 million in connection with a French investigation into suspected tax fraud and money laundering involving consulting firm McKinsey.
The seizure was carried out by the Brussels Public Prosecutor’s Office at the request of France’s National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF), which has been investigating McKinsey since March 2022. By 19 August, Belgian authorities had seized €65.24 million –– approximately 96% of the tax loss estimated by French investigators. The French case concerns allegations of aggravated money laundering linked to aggravated tax fraud. It followed a French Senate inquiry into the growing influence of private consulting firms on government policy and public administration.
French investigators searched several McKinsey entities in May 2022, including the company’s Paris offices. Witnesses and suspects were subsequently questioned during investigations that continued through 2025 and 2026. The PNF later requested assistance from Belgian authorities under international judicial cooperation procedures. The case was handled in Belgium by the Brussels prosecutor’s International and European Affairs Directorate, which coordinated the seizure of the funds.
Brussels Chief Prosecutor Julien Moinil and French Financial Public Prosecutor Pascal Prache highlighted the importance of cooperation between the two jurisdictions, particularly in cases involving suspected criminal assets held across borders. The prosecutors also stressed that investigations involving the freezing and eventual confiscation of suspected criminal proceeds require coordinated action as soon as the assets are identified. The underlying French investigation remains ongoing, and the seizure does not itself establish criminal liability. Further proceedings will determine whether the funds are connected to unlawful activity and whether they can ultimately be confiscated.