What are the Qatar bribery allegations rocking the European Parliament?

BRUSSELS — The de facto capital of the European Union is being rocked by explosive allegations that World Cup host Qatar bribed current and former European Parliament officials to try to influence decisions at the highest levels.

After at least 20 raids across Brussels since last week, including within the offices of the European Parliament, Belgian authorities have confiscated more than $1 million in cash, frozen the technology access of 10 parliamentary officials to preserve data for the investigation and held six people for questioning. On Dec. 11, a Belgian judge charged four of them, saying they are suspected of money laundering, corruption and taking part in a criminal organization on behalf of a “Gulf State.”