Embezzlement Scandal: The Red Falcons Fly Too Close to the Sun
Ah, the Red Falcons, an innocent-sounding youth movement targeted for what? Embezzling several million euros! It’s almost enough to make you want to join just to see how they manage their accounts—because it seems they’re flying high without a financial safety net!
Well, it appears that the alleged embezzlement of several million euros for the benefit of the Red Falcons youth movement has landed two suspects in hot water. The affair has certainly turned a few heads in the public authorities and the PS—Politique Sociale, for those playing at home.
The Case Unfolds
So, here’s the gist: Four suspects were questioned, two have been indicted, and the rest? Well, the judicial system seems to agree that they’re just innocent bystanders—while they were enjoying some popcorn, no doubt! The suspects, including an administrative agent of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, are knee-deep in trouble, having been charged with forgery, fraud, and various other delightful crimes. It’s like they threw a financial house party and forgot to clean up!
Meet The Accused
One of our star players in this drama, Michaël Carpin, is not only the current secretary-general of the Red Falcons, but he’s also attempting to juggle his role as the head of the PS list in Seneffe, as if running an election campaign while under scrutiny is the new trend. Carpin claims he was the whistleblower who ratted out the alleged shenanigans back in February 2023. Talk about mixed messages; he’s either the hero or the villain—let’s just hope he has a good lawyer.
A Well-Defended Dilemma
His lawyer, Me Maxim Töller, marches to his defense shouting, “he’s the savior of the Red Falcons!”—almost like he’s auditioning for a superhero role. Töller insists Carpin was merely trying to keep order in a non-profit organization gone rogue. But let’s be honest, when you’re dragging in several million euros of mismanaged funds, calling yourself a ‘whistleblower’ might win you some sympathy, but it won’t free you from the mess.
Political Fallout
And let’s not forget our pals at the PS—the party has suspended Carpin faster than a cat on a hot tin roof! They’ve publicly denounced the embezzlement while assuring everyone that they have no ties to the Red Falcons. This is like saying “I’m so sorry your ex stole your car, but I didn’t drive it!”—so classy!
The Election Dilemma
Despite the indictment, Carpin is still appearing on the socialist list for Sunday’s municipal elections. Because who doesn’t love a little drama during voting season? Surely, voters will be weighing their options—do they opt for a candidate embroiled in scandal or someone else with all the flair of a limp spaghetti noodle?
As the investigations unfold, we wonder: Will he be waving goodbye to his political aspirations or could this whole affair just be an elaborate scheme to gain sympathy votes? Maybe the real lesson here is that in politics, as in finance, those who play with fire often get burned… and not just by the press!
Conclusion
So there you have it, folks: the saga of the Red Falcons and their poorly managed finances. As we await the next chapter, keep your wallets close and your organizations even closer. Remember, in the world of politics, it’s not just about standing tall for your values but also keeping one eye on your bookkeeping—or, as Carpin perhaps learned, on your potential whistleblowers!
The alleged embezzlement of several million euros for the benefit of the Red Falcons youth movement has led to the indictment of two suspects. The affair embarrasses the public authorities and the PS.
Two of the four suspects since questioned as part of a alleged embezzlement of several million euros for the benefit of the Red Falcons youth movement were indicted and released on conditionsindicated the spokesperson for the Liège public prosecutor’s office, Catherine Collignon, to the Belga agency.
Four peopleincluding an administrative agent of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation as well as three individuals linked to the youth movement, were arrested on Wednesday to be questioned by investigators. At the end of their hearings, two of the four suspects were presented to an investigating judge which finally charged them with forgery, use of forgery and fraud, as well as violation of the royal decree of May 31, 1933 relating to the declarations to be made in matters of subsidies, compensation and allocations. “For one of the accused, the offense period extends from 2015 to 2024.
For the second, it goes from 2019 to 2024. They were released under conditions,” explained Catherine Collignon. The two other persons concerned were released, the investigating judge not having sufficient evidence to consider them as co-perpetrators of the offenses committed. One of the people indicted this Thursday is Michaël Carpin, the current secretary-general of the Red Falcons and also head of the PS list in Seneffe (Hainaut) for the municipal elections this Sunday. Through his lawyer, Mr. Carpin said he was surprised by his indictment since it was he who, according to his statements, denounced the disputed facts to the courts in February 2023.
In November 2022, during a long absence of the secretary-general at the time, Philippe Heuschen, due to illness, the board of directors of the Red Falcons discovered a series of irregularities in the management of the ASBL. Given the seriousness of the facts, the CA then decided to dismiss Mr. Heuschen and file a complaint with the courts.
Mr. Carpin, who was until then one of the administrators of the Red Falcons, takes over the post of secretary-general, due to a lack of other candidates. “During his 14 months as secretary-general, Mr. Carpin changed the statutes to guarantee better governance of the non-profit organization. He also appointed a company auditor and warned the Wallonia-Brussels Federation that the number of members of the Red Falcons had been inflated by his predecessor,” assures his lawyer, Me Maxim Töller, interviewed by Belga. He does not understand why his client was charged. “It was he who restored order to the non-profit organization, it was he who filed a complaint against the former secretary-general. He really played a role of whistleblower in this affair…”, underlines his advice.
The affair also embarrasses the PS, Mr. Carpin being head of the socialist list for the municipal elections in Seneffe. In a press release on Thursday, the rose party condemned the embezzlement while specifying that it had no link of any kind with the Red Falcons. Following the indictment of Mr. Carpin, the college of presidents of the PS also decided on Thursday to suspend him from his membership during the investigation.
Given the proximity of the electionthe person concerned will nevertheless still appear on the socialist list for the elections this Sunday in Seneffe. For the record, several searches were carried out on Wednesday as part of a judicial investigation into an alleged embezzlement of several million euros at the expense of the FWB. The Red Falcons are suspected of having, for years, inflated the number of its members to receive more subsidies from the FWB. The embezzlements are estimated at several million euros. Inspired by socialist and democratic values, according to its website, the youth movement organizes cultural, sporting and creative activities for young people. It officially has around thirty local sections spread across Wallonia and Brussels.
