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Sihame El Kaouakibi

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Sihame El Kaouakibi
Sihame El Kaouakibi
Member of the Flemish Parliament
In office
2019–2024
Personal details
Born (1986-07-09) 9 July 1986 (age 38)
Boom
NationalityBelgian
Political partyIndependent
OccupationPolitician
Websitesihame.be

Sihame El Kaouakibi (born 9 July 1986) is a former Belgian politician and the founder of the Let's Go Urban project.[1] In 2021, she was accused of fraudulent use of government subsidies.[2] Almost 1 million euro is claimed to have been used for her own profit.[3]

Biography

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El Kaouakibi grew up in Boom, Antwerp Province, as one of seven children.[4] In 2009, El Kaouakibi founded Let's Go Urban,[1] in 2013, Youth and Urban Projects and in 2014, A Woman's View.[5] In 2014, she was nominated as a member of the board of directors of the Flemish public broadcaster VRT by the political party Open Vld.[6] In 2019, Open Vld placed her on their electoral list for the Flemish Parliament.[7] She was elected with 10,704 votes. In 2021, she left the party after the financial scandal broke lose. Currently, she is still active in the Flemish Parliament as an independent politician,[8] but has been on sick leave since October 2020.[9]

Financial scandals

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In February 2021, an inquiry was opened for potential financial fraud at her organisation Let's Go Urban. An independent audit was performed and several obscure financial constructions were found.[10] Following the potential problems found by the audit, the city of Antwerp opened an investigation regarding several thousands in subsidies given to Let's Go Urban to figure out what happened with the money.[11] In addition to the above investigations, the public prosecutor's office of Antwerp also opened an investigation regarding the potential fraud by El Kaouakibi. [12]

El Kaouakibi herself filed a complaint against unknown persons. According to her, documents were adjusted and leaked to the press.[13]

On 28 March 2021, VTM Nieuws provided evidence of potential fraud with invoices.[14] In a preliminary report, a potential of €450,000 in subsidies were embezzled from Let's Go Urban to El Kaouakibi's private accounts.[15][16]

Based on the preliminary report regarding potential embezzlement, the Federal Public Service Interior started an investigation regarding subsidies given to WeLoveBxl, the Brussels branch of Let's Go Urban.[17][18][2]

In early April 2021, the city of Antwerp had the assets of El Kaouakibi seized after reports that she wanted to sell real estate.[19][20] A new audit from the city of Antwerp showed that €350,000 were embezzled.[21]

The Antwerp prosecutor's office requested that the Flemish Parliament lift her parliamentary immunity on two occasions, in October 2022 and October 2023.[22] [23][24]

On October 3, the Raadkamer [nl] (court of first instance that adjucates on fairly simple criminal issues, usually in closed session) takes a decision in the El Kaouakibi case [nl].[25]

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Workshop group Let's Go Urban under investigation for 'financial irregularities'". www.brusselstimes.com. The Brussels Times. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  2. ^ a b "WeLoveBXL founder investigated for misuse of subsidies". The Bulletin. 6 April 2021.
  3. ^ "El Kaouakibi zou een miljoen euro naar eigen bedrijven hebben versluisd". De Standaard (in Dutch). 31 March 2021.
  4. ^ "Sihame El Kaouakibi, sociaal onderneemster in de politieke arena: "Ik denk oprecht dat we door deze crisis geïnspireerd kunnen raken"". www.bloovi.be (in Dutch). 25 January 2021.
  5. ^ Plets, Griet. "Ik ben nog nooit zo onzeker geweest". De Standaard (in Dutch).
  6. ^ Debackere, Jan (19 December 2014). "Dirk Sterckx wordt VRT-bestuurder". De Morgen (in Dutch).
  7. ^ "Open Vld heeft met Sihame El Kaouakibi wit konijn beet in Antwerpen". Het Laatste Nieuws (in Dutch). 20 February 2019.
  8. ^ NWS, VRT (8 April 2021). "Sihame El Kaouakibi stapt zelf uit Open VLD, maar blijft wel in Vlaams Parlement zitten". vrtnws.be (in Dutch).
  9. ^ "El Kaouakibi dient nieuw ziektebriefje in tot eind februari (maar verliest nu wel deel van loon". De Morgen (in Dutch). 26 November 2021.
  10. ^ NWS, VRT (4 February 2021). "Audit van bedrijven Vlaams Parlementslid El Kaouakibi toont boekhoudkundige chaos en gebrek aan tussenschotten". vrtnws.be (in Dutch).
  11. ^ NWS, VRT (3 February 2021). "Ook stad Antwerpen opent onderzoek naar gebruik van subsidies bij Let's Go Urban van Open VLD-volksvertegenwoordiger". vrtnws.be (in Dutch).
  12. ^ NWS, VRT (5 February 2021). "Antwerpse parket opent onderzoek naar Let's Go Urban van Open VLD-politica Sihame El Kaouakibi". vrtnws.be (in Dutch).
  13. ^ "Open VLD-voorzitter Lachaert wil parlementslid El Kaouakibi op non-actief zetten, zelf dient ze een strafklacht in". vrt.be (in Dutch). 11 February 2021.
  14. ^ "Net rond Sihame El Kaouakibi lijkt zich te sluiten". Knack.be (in Dutch). 28 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Van "georganiseerd bedrog" tot "fake": voorlopige verslag over Sihame El Kaouakibi is klaar (en taal is vernietigend)". vrtnws.be (in Dutch). VRT NWS. 29 March 2021.
  16. ^ "Controversy in Flanders: Has MEP Sihame El Kaouakibi embezzled public money for her dressing room?". 31 March 2021.
  17. ^ "Nu al vijf verschillende onderzoeken naar El Kaouakibi: een overzicht". businessam.be (in Dutch). 31 March 2021.
  18. ^ "Judicial net closes around Let's Go Urban founder". The Brussels Times.
  19. ^ "The city of Antwerp has the assets of Sihame El Kaouakibi seized, after reports that she wants to sell real estate". netherlandsnewslive.com.
  20. ^ Dujardin, Jeffrey (2 April 2021). "Stad Antwerpen laat beslag leggen op miljoenen van Sihame El Kaouakibi na meldingen dat ze haar vastgoed probeerde te verkopen". Het Laatste Nieuws (in Dutch). Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  21. ^ "Audit stad Antwerpen na heisa rond El Kaouakibi: 350.000 euro voor Let's Go Urban verduisterd". De Morgen (in Dutch). 15 April 2021.
  22. ^ Clapson, Colin (17 October 2022). "Prosecution looms for MFP El Kaouakibi". vrt news. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  23. ^ Verstraete, Alexander (19 October 2022). "Vlaams Parlement heft onschendbaarheid Sihame El Kaouakibi op na zitting waarin ze zelf het woord nam". vrt news (in Dutch). Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  24. ^ Muylaert, Jonas (12 October 2023). "Parlementaire onschendbaarheid El Kaouakibi moet opnieuw opgeheven worden, nieuwe vervalste facturen gevonden". Het Laatste Nieuws (in Dutch). Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  25. ^ "Raadkamer beslist of El Kaouakibi naar rechter moet in fraudedossier". De Tijd. 2 October 2024.
  26. ^ "Sihame El Kaouakibi, Global Diversity Award | Stanton Chase". 25 September 2020. Archived from the original on 25 September 2020.
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