The Caritas Luxembourg scandal continues to cast a long shadow over the foundation nearly two years later. The case emerged in 2024, when more than €61 million belonging to Caritas were diverted over several months into accounts in Luxembourg and abroad.
The investigation remains ongoing and several people have been arrested in recent months.
For Nathalie Frisch, member of the foundation's executive committee and board of directors, these developments are an important sign that the authorities are continuing to make progress.
She said the work being carried out by the public prosecutor's office was beginning to produce tangible results. The recent developments also highlighted the level of criminal organisation involved in the case, she added.
The foundation continues to hope that at least some of the missing money can eventually be recovered, she said.
The recent arrests have not yet had any direct financial impact on the Caritas Foundation, according to Frisch. Its work is currently focused primarily on dealing with the consequences of the scandal, while all operational activities remain suspended, she said.
Frisch explained that the immediate priority is to address the foundation's remaining liabilities, gradually repay outstanding creditors, and bring its previous activities to an orderly conclusion.
Although very few employees remain, volunteers continue to play an important role in this work. Frisch said this commitment reflected the importance of volunteering and the social sector in Luxembourg, describing them as a fundamental part of the country's society.
For Caritas, however, the greatest damage extends beyond the financial losses. Frisch said a significant amount of trust had been destroyed.
She stressed that continued progress in the investigation was therefore crucial, particularly if it helped demonstrate that the fraud involved a wider criminal network rather than an isolated act.
The foundation also regrets the loss of the international structures and relationships that Caritas Luxembourg had built up over several decades.
Frisch said the disappearance of the organisation's international network represented a major loss for Luxembourg's international aid sector, as those connections can no longer be used to support humanitarian and development work abroad.
