Today, the County Court of Zagreb (Croatia) convicted the owner of a company involved in the investigation into the purchase of an information system by the Ministry for Regional Development and EU Funds (MRRFEU).

The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) in Zagreb (Croatia) initiated an investigation against four individuals and two companies suspected of defrauding EU funds. Two suspects were arrested yesterday by the Bjelovar-Bilogora Police Department and investigative activities were carried out as well, together with the Independent Sector for Financial Investigations.  

At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office in Prague (Czechia), the Czech Police’s National Organised Crime Agency (NCOZ) arrested nine persons and carried out 17 searches yesterday in the regions of Pilsen and Prague. This is part of an investigation into procurement fraud and subsidy fraud involving the modernisation of a school kitchen and a major investment project in the Pilsen Region. 

At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Bologna (Italy), the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) of Ravenna seized more than 28 million in assets in connection with a large-scale VAT carousel fraud investigation.

Today, the former Croatian Minister for Regional Development and EU Funds (MRRFEU) was convicted by the County Court of Zagreb (Croatia) and sentenced to seven months of imprisonment for abuse of office and authority.

At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Rome (Italy), two suspects were arrested yesterday and freezing orders of up to €5 million were carried out, in an investigation involving multiple Italian companies suspected of fraudulent use of EU and national funds destined to finance small and medium companies (SMEs). 

Yesterday, the Regional Court in Prague (Czechia) convicted three individuals and three companies of a €5.5 million subsidy fraud involving nanobot research, as well as money laundering, following an investigation and indictment by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Prague.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Berlin (Germany) arrested two additional suspects and seized assets worth €11 million yesterday in an investigation into a criminal organisation suspected of defrauding €66 million in unpaid VAT and of evading over €137 million in excise duties.

Ten searches were conducted yesterday and four individuals were detained in a criminal investigation led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Lithuania, and carried out by the Financial Crime Investigation Service (Finansinių nusikaltimų tyrimo tarnyba – FNTT), into an alleged €136 000 fraud involving EU rural development funds.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Vilnius (Lithuania) has filed an indictment with the Vilnius District Court against a Lithuanian citizen and an NGO, for subsidy fraud in connection with an EU-funded project aimed at providing mobile car repair and maintenance services in rural areas.