Former Anderlecht executive charged in money-laundering case

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BRUSSELS (AP) — Former Anderlecht executive Herman Van Holsbeeck was handed preliminary charges of money-laundering, forgery and criminal conspiracy on Friday for his alleged role in a corruption case involving the transfer of soccer players.

The 64-year-old Van Holsbeeck is a former player and coach who worked with Anderlecht from 2003 to 2018. He was arrested on Thursday following raids earlier this week in Monaco, Belgium and London that also led to the arrest of Christophe Henrotay, an influential Belgian agent working with international players including Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Brussels prosecutor's office said Van Holsbeeck was released after being heard by a judge and agreeing not to meet with his soccer contacts.

According to local newspaper Le Soir, quoting Van Holsbeeck's lawyer Daniel Spreutels, he denied collecting undue commissions over players' transfers.

Henrotay's assistant, who was arrested in the Liege area this week, was given the same preliminary charges.

Prosecutors said the wave of arrests is linked to searches that took place in April when Belgian police probed the offices of Anderlecht and the Belgian soccer association.

This case is not related to the massive corruption scandal that engulfed Belgian soccer last year when authorities carried out 57 police raids in the country and around Europe in a probe into financial fraud and match-fixing.