Erion Veliaj, the 45-year-old Mayor of Tirana, who rose to political prominence through a donor-backed anti-corruption initiative two decades ago and was seen as a potential future leader of Albania, was detained on Monday. He faces charges related to orchestrating a complex bribery and money laundering operation.

In addition to Veliaj, five property developers have been implicated, as has Veliaj’s spouse, Ajola Xoxa, who reportedly indulged in an online shopping spree that reportedly exceeded 800,000 euros on jewelry and clothing over a four-year period.

Earlier that Monday, Veliaj’s public image seemed quite different as he appeared in a coordinated broadcast across multiple Albanian TV channels and social media platforms, allegedly participating in a “live transmission” from a kindergarten in Yzberisht, an area in the outskirts of Tirana, where he was seen interacting with children.

However, a select group of investigative journalists knew the truth: Veliaj was not actually at a kindergarten. Instead, he was in his office, where officers from the National Bureau of Investigation were taking him into custody on allegations of managing a sophisticated bribery scheme involving funds funneled through a network of NGOs and companies run by his wife and brother.