Brussels Prosecutors Demand Two-Year Prison Sentence for Radja Nainggolan
Brussels prosecutors demanded a two-year prison sentence and a 105,000-euro fine for Radja Nainggolan during a court hearing regarding alleged money laundering. The current Patro Eisden player did not attend the session in person, leaving his legal defense to be handled by his lawyers.
A Narrowed Financial Probe Following Antwerp Drug Raids
The case represents a legal proceeding that stems from a broader investigation launched by Brussels judicial authorities in March 2023 into international cocaine trafficking through the port of Antwerp. While investigators initially placed Nainggolan under scrutiny following police raids in January 2025, the public prosecutor’s office ultimately cleared him of direct involvement in drug smuggling. Instead, authorities narrowed their focus to a specific financial transaction involving 105,000 euro in cash.
The Alleged Cash Transfers and Fictitious Construction Work
Investigators discovered that Nainggolan received cash payments totaling 105,000 euro across several months from Nasr-Eddine Sekkaki, the younger brother of Ashraf Sekkaki. Prosecutors asserted that Nainggolan subsequently returned the funds in various installments deposited into the bank account belonging to the mother of the brothers Sekkaki. The prosecution argued that because Nasr-Eddine Sekkaki officially lived on a subsistence income while possessing large sums of unexplained cash, Nainggolan should have recognized the illicit nature of the funds. Prosecutors pointed to mobile phone records and bank transfer references indicating fictitious construction work, maintaining that the player acted knowingly to assist Sekkaki.
Defense Slams Prosecution and Cites Frozen Accounts
Defense attorneys Mounir and Omar Souidi rejected the allegations entirely, announcing plans to push for a complete acquittal when they present their arguments. Speaking to reporters ahead of the court appearance, the defense team criticized the initial police operation and questioned the validity of the remaining financial charges.
“With all the fanfare and spectacle, he was arrested last year,” the lawyers said. “The prosecution communicated to the media that all sorts of things were going to happen regarding a cocaine import dossier. We said immediately that there was not a word of truth to it, and that has proven to be the case. The only thing left is a supposed money-laundering charge. There is nothing to that either.”
Lifestyle Costs and Pending Court Date
During earlier police interrogations following his initial arrest—which included a single night spent in a jail cell—Nainggolan explained that his Italian bank accounts had been frozen due to his echtscheiding. He stated that he borrowed the cash simply to maintain his lifestyle and claimed he was entirely unaware of Sekkaki’s criminal background until media reports surfaced after his arrest. While prosecutors target other defendants in the wider conspiracy with prison sentences reaching up to 14 years and fines up to 800,000 euro, Nainggolan faces solely the money-laundering accusation without any membership link to the alleged criminal organization.
The defense team’s formal arguments and requests for acquittal are scheduled to be presented before the Brussels correctional court on November 13, 2026.
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