Italy agrees to transfer suspect in EU graft scandal to Belgium

People are seen in front of the courthouse of Brescia ahead of a hearing to decide whether to hand over Maria Dolores Colleoni, wife of former MEP Antonio Panzeri who was arrested in Brussels on charges of corruption in the European Parliament for the benefit of Qatar and Morocco, to the Belgian authorities, in Brescia, Italy December 19, 2022. REUTERS/Flavio Lo Scalzo

BRESCIA, Italy (Reuters) -An Italian court on Monday agreed to hand over to Belgian authorities a woman suspected of involvement in a Qatar graft scandal that has rocked the European Parliament.

An appeals court in the northern city of Brescia ruled there were no grounds to prevent the transfer of Maria Dolores Colleoni, wife of former EU lawmaker Pier Antonio Panzeri, whom Brussels prosecutors believe is one of the main players in the alleged corruption.