Belgian mayor charged with EU fraud

The mayor of the Belgian city of Sint Niklaas, a leading official of the Benelux economic union, was arrested on charges of defrauding the EU. Mayor Lieven Lenaerts was accused of using false accounting to secure up to 15 million francs (pounds 300,000) in EU funding for an organization called the Union of European Middle Classes. Belgian anti-fraud investigators suspect Mr Lenaerts, president of the organisation, used the money for himself.

AP - Brussels