chargement...
A judicial inquiry has been underway for several months, ordered by the Brussels public prosecutor's office to investigate allegations of subsidy fraud involving MolenGeek. According to reporting by Le Soir and Paris Match Belgique on Thursday, the investigation was initiated some time ago and has been entrusted to the Central Office for the Repression of Corruption (OCRC). Last February, the digital-skills non-profit based in Molenbeek became embroiled in controversy following anonymous testimonies alleging questionable management practices.
The affair gained traction after Vincent Herregat, founder of the parody site Nordpresse (known as Flibustier), published, and later deleted, a thread of tweets accusing the organization co-founded by Belgian-Moroccan entrepreneur Ibrahim Ouassari. These posts alleged that the non-profit may have used certain cases among its dropout beneficiaries to continue receiving public funding from Brussels Formation.
Contacted by Yabiladi on Friday, Ibrahim Ouassari said he had «never been officially informed» of any ongoing judicial procedure. «This is not an indictment, as some might assume, but a judicial inquiry intended to verify information following the publication of press articles», he stated.
The prosecutor verifies press revelations
Ouassari explained that he had instructed his lawyer to check with the prosecutor’s office whether proceedings had indeed been opened. «I only learned of this from the Le Soir journalist who contacted me before publication to request comment. Beyond that, I have received no notification, and MolenGeek has never received any judicial correspondence on the matter», he added.
He also noted that the non-profit undergoes «many administrative and financial audits», a process he considers healthy. «If there are indeed verifications by the prosecutor’s office, we can only view that positively, as it will help clarify matters», he said. Earlier this year, Belgian media reported that Brussels Formation had decided to cut subsidies following concerns raised by the testimonies relayed by Flibustier.
Publicly, Ouassari has denounced what he describes as «false information taken out of context» aimed at «harming MolenGeek». Belgian media recently reported that the association’s trainers were «paid by private companies controlled» by the entrepreneur, the reason the judicial inquiry was launched. For Ouassari, the procedure «will finally allow a neutral authority to confirm the regularity of our management and put an end to the rumors».
Separating fact from fiction
Ouassari previously told Yabiladi that it was MolenGeek that decided to end its partnership with Brussels Formation, not the reverse, citing concerns over the quality of support offered to beneficiaries rather than any financial issue. He said the public funder did not sufficiently support the center in building a rigorous professional culture among young trainees.
In this context, Ouassari insists that «any form of oversight is welcome», but he laments that the situation is being used «to tarnish the reputation of a person or an initiative for no reason» through misleading interpretations. «We tell young people that MolenGeek is a model. But today, we’re telling them that if you succeed, you will be suspected. That’s what saddens me», he said.
Asked whether he plans legal action for defamation or reputational damage, Ouassari replied that he prefers to rise above controversy and «focus on what matters», training young people. «People will say things. Should I waste my energy taking them to court over reputation? What would that bring to the young people or to our work? Nothing meaningful», he said, describing the controversies as «the price of success». For him, «we must accept that people will talk».
