Tarabella was born in Ougrée, a suburb of Seraing from a family originally from Versilia, Italy.

[2] Amid the Qatar corruption scandal at the European Parliament in late 2022, Belgian police searched Tarabella's home.

[3] He subsequently suspended himself from the S&D group, and his Walloon Socialist party revoked his membership.

He also stepped down as member and vice chair of the European Parliament’s delegation to Qatar and other Arabian Peninsula countries.

He was subsequently arrested, charged with corruption and money laundering and remanded into custody.