Social benefits fraud has once again come under scrutiny in Belgium after revelations involving a Brussels woman who allegedly abused the social welfare system. On 2025-07-18 21:40:00, authorities uncovered that she received social benefits and lived in a social housing unit while working as a lawyer in Morocco since 2003.
- Woman fraudulently received Belgian social benefits
- Ex-partner reported her to Riziv authorities
- Bouchez criticizes weak social system controls
- Calls for stricter federal data verification
- Proposes international info-sharing agreements
- Highlights widespread social fraud beyond Morocco
The case emerged following a tip-off from her ex-partner to the Rijksinstituut voor Ziekte- en Invaliditeitsverzekering (Riziv). Despite claiming to be disabled in Belgium since 2016, she reportedly spent only short periods in Belgium and her children were never enrolled in local schools. This raises important questions about the effectiveness of fraud detection within the Belgian social system.
What does this case reveal about the current state of social benefits oversight? And how can Belgium better protect its social welfare resources? These concerns pave the way for understanding the government’s response and future policies.
Is Belgium’s social benefits system vulnerable to abuse? This incident suggests so, especially when cross-border factors complicate oversight. Key points include:
- Long-term professional activity abroad contradicting local disability claims
- Insufficient verification of residency and family integration, such as school enrolment
- Political pressure from leaders like Georges-Louis Bouchez demanding enhanced controls
- The need for international cooperation to track and prevent fraud effectively
Going forward, Belgian authorities must strengthen verification processes and foster cross-border data exchange. Will these measures restore trust and reduce fraud? Only time and decisive political action will tell.
