Belgian Police Raid 10 Firms in €8.5M Leave Fraud Probe

Belgian authorities raided ten companies and six private homes in the Liège region on Thursday as part of a large-scale investigation into a sophisticated fraud scheme targeting the country’s paid education leave system. Seven people were taken into custody, and several thousand euros in cash, vehicles, luxury goods, and cryptocurrencies were seized, according to RTBF.

The operation, carried out by the Ecofin section of the Liège judicial police alongside social inspectors, marks a significant escalation in enforcement against abuse of the “Congé-Éducation Payé” (CEP) system — a Belgian program that allows private-sector workers to take paid time off for approved training courses.

The Fraud Scheme

Prosecutors allege that consultants posing as training organizers set up a fraudulent system over several years, enabling more than 150 private-sector companies to falsely declare to the Forem — Wallonia’s employment and training service — that their employees were following approved training courses. In reality, no training took place.

“The protagonists, presenting themselves as consultants, are suspected of having set up, over several years, a fraud allowing more than 150 private-sector companies to declare to the Forem that their staff were following training, when in reality these training sessions did not take place,” said Pascale Malderez, press magistrate of the Liège-Namur-Luxembourg Labor Auditor’s Office. “They thus benefited from social aid while the consultants received commissions.”

The estimated damage to the Forem stands at €8.5 million, according to investigators.

Legal Charges and Investigation

The case has been referred to an investigating judge on charges of criminal organization, undue receipt of social benefits, and fraud in social criminal law. The referral on criminal organization charges signals that authorities view this as organized, systematic fraud rather than isolated incidents.

Le Vif also covered the operation, noting that IT training operators had devised a mechanism allowing client companies to receive subsidies from the Forem without the training actually taking place.

Political Reaction

Pierre-Yves Jeholet, Walloon Minister for Training, condemned the alleged fraud in strong terms.

“If the facts are confirmed, they are totally unacceptable,” Jeholet said. “Diverting training money is depriving workers of an essential right. Anyone who has abused the system will have to answer for it, and the amounts unduly received will be recovered.”

The minister also confirmed that a deep reform of the CEP system is underway in Wallonia.

Background: The Paid Education Leave System

The Congé-Éducation Payé is a Belgian mechanism designed to promote continuous professional development. Under the system, private-sector workers can take time off for approved training while continuing to receive their full salary. Employers can then claim financial compensation from the Forem to offset the cost.

Since Belgium’s Sixth State Reform (2011-2014), responsibility for paid education leave has been transferred to the regions. In Wallonia, the system is managed by the Forem; in Flanders, it is known as “Vlaams opleidingsverlof”; and in Brussels, it remains “betaald educatief verlof.”

Broader Context

Thursday’s raids follow a June 2025 investigation by Le Vif that revealed up to 257 Walloon companies were implicated in a similar CEP fraud scheme, with estimated damages in the millions of euros. The Socialist Party (PS) also reported that nearly 423 companies were potentially involved in CEP fraud at that time.

The current operation appears to be a direct operational follow-up to those earlier journalistic exposures, moving from public reporting to active criminal prosecutions.

Analysis and Implications

The fraud exploits a structural vulnerability in the CEP system: the reliance on self-declaration by companies and the difficulty of verifying whether training actually took place. The involvement of over 150 companies as beneficiaries suggests the scheme was widespread and well-known in certain business circles.

The investigation targets both the supply side — consultants who organized the fraud — and the demand side — companies that knowingly benefited from false declarations. With seven individuals in custody and substantial assets seized, authorities appear to have built a significant case.

What’s Next

The investigation may expand to include more companies beyond the initial 150 identified. Questions remain about whether similar fraud schemes are operating in the Brussels and Flanders regions, and what specific reforms the Walloon government will implement to prevent future abuse. The arrested individuals now face potential trial on charges that carry significant penalties under Belgian social criminal law.