Belgian Court Sends Biometrics Firm Semlex and 13 Others to Trial Over Congo Passport Corruption

A Brussels council chamber has referred Semlex, a Belgian biometric-document provider, and thirteen additional defendants to criminal court on charges of corruption, money laundering and tax fraud connected to a contract for Democratic Republic of Congo passports. The referral stems from a civil action launched in 2020 by 51 Congolese nationals and anti-corruption groups that joined an ongoing investigation. Plaintiffs allege the arrangement funneled nearly $60 million away from the state, causing passport costs to rise sharply.

A spokesperson for the Belgian Federal Prosecutor’s Office confirmed Semlex and several employees were among those sent to trial, though specifics were withheld. Civil parties view the decision as a landmark step for Belgian enforcement of overseas bribery laws, which have drawn criticism from activists and the OECD. Semlex declined comment, while its former lawyer also refused to speak. The timing of the trial remains unclear.