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In a series of confessions made to Belgian authorities earlier this year, the lobbyist [Valerio O.] outlined how the Chinese tech giant sought to influence EU policy by leveraging connections, alleged payments through intermediaries, and subtle gestures of gratitude – including champagne, luxury hotels, and football tickets. His testimony is now central to a broader, ongoing investigation into lobbying practices in Europe’s de facto capital, which remains at a preliminary stage. No individuals and entities mentioned have been indicted yet and all are presumed innocent.
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With his slick hair and Colgate smile, Valerio O. was adept at opening doors in the European Parliament. Before joining Huawei as a senior lobbyist he had spent a decade as a parliamentary assistant to MEPs, learning to navigate the ropes of the Brussels political scene. That network – cultivated over years of late-night votes, dinners, and cocktail hours – was exactly what Huawei needed as it faced growing hostility in Europe, Valerio O. told investigators.
By late 2020, Huawei had become toxic.
Mounting US pressure and rising European concerns over Huawei’s links to Beijing culminated that same year in Brussels with a letter signed by 41 MEPs urging the Commission to bar high-risk vendors like Huawei and its Chinese competitor ZTE from EU funding. At the time, the initiative was seen as defending the interests of Huawei’s European rival Nokia.
According to Valerio O.’s statement to police, his superior at Huawei reacted angrily. He claims the company responded by encouraging a counter-effort that led to lawmakers drafting and signing a new letter – known internally as the “5G Letter” – which was sent in February 2021 to Commissioners Margrethe Vestager, Thierry Breton, and Valdis Dombrovskis. The letter, which did not name Huawei directly, called for non-discriminatory treatment in 5G infrastructure decisions and warned against “technological racism”.
Valerio O. told investigators that the letter was coordinated at Huawei’s request and drafted by Italian MEP Fulvio Martusciello and his former assistant turned-lobbyist, Nuno W.M.
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Invoices reviewed by Belgian authorities indicate that Huawei contractors paid €45,590 to lobbyist Nuno W.M. for “consultancy” and “stakeholder mapping” services. Following that, Nuno W.M sent at least €6,700 to MEP Fulvio Martusciello, €1,000 to his assistant in Naples, and nearly €15,000 to a Brussels-based aide identified as Adam M, according to an arrest warrant signed by the investigative judge in charge of the case. The police is still investigating the legal significance of these transfers as part of a possible corruption scheme. Both Nuno W.M. and Adam M. deny any wrongdoing and are not under arrest.
“It’s just a façade, this ‘consultancy services’,” Valerio O. told investigators, alleging that Huawei deliberately kept its name off financial transactions. “They use intermediaries. Huawei never takes risks,” he claimed.
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Italian MEP Fulvio Martusciello – a longtime member of Forza Italia – has firmly denied any wrongdoing [...] In his testimony to Belgian anti-corruption investigators, Valerio O. alleged that Martusciello was part of a group of lawmakers who, in his view, engaged in habitual corrupt practices. “He doesn’t do anything for free,” Valerio O. said. “He’s part of the group of MEPs for whom corruption is in their DNA. When they see an opportunity, they seize it.”
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The gifts didn’t stop with letters, according to Valerio O’s testimony. On his computer, the police found a file marked "Christmas Gifts", which sorted EU officials by perceived value. The ex-Huawei lobbyist alleged top-tier targets received bottles of champagne; others got ‘Rituals’ skincare boxes, all below €150 – the threshold set by the Parliament’s ethics rules. In practice, Valerio O. admitted, most of the champagne never made it past his own fridge.
More effective, he claimed, were hospitality perks: seats in the corporate box of RSC Anderlecht football stadium – acquired for €50,000 a year, where guests enjoyed white wine and hamburgers, he told police. Investigators found that invitees included MEPs Nicola Minchev, Daniel Attar and another former MEP – whom Euractiv is not naming at this time. Huawei's image was so damaged, Valerio O. said, that these events were often the only way to get a meeting.
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According to Valerio O., Huawei strategically focused its lobbying efforts on several southern European countries, where it sought to strengthen political ties and mitigate reputational damage.
He said that in early 2024, at least two sitting MEPs were invited by Huawei to the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, with travel and accommodation allegedly covered by the same Huawei-linked entity. One of the pair, according to Valerio O., received business-class flights and a hotel suite for them and their partner valued at €1,000 per night.
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In his testimony, Valerio O. alleged that Huawei was able to exert influence in certain national delegations within EU institutions more easily than in Brussels. “If Huawei wants to place amendments, they can do it through embassies where we walk in like stars,” he said.
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As the investigation continues to unfold, Belgian prosecutors are now preparing additional interviews and awaiting decisions on requests to lift the parliamentary immunity of four MEPs. A trial remains a possibility, though the case is still in a preliminary phase.
In his testimony, Valerio O. offered a bleak assessment of the broader political environment in Brussels. “Those MEPs have a PhD in corruption,” he told investigators.
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