(Luxembourg, 4 July 2025) – The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Turin (Italy) has secured convictions against 13 defendants, including three ringleaders, in the ‘Greasy Hands’ investigation. The defendants were proven to have operated a criminal organisation that imported vehicle lubricants into the Italian market while systematically evading VAT, resulting in losses exceeding €15 million.
They were convicted of criminal association and tax fraud, receiving prison terms between one and four years, amounting to a combined total of 34 years.
The verdicts, delivered by the Court of Turin and the Court of Matera, were the result of plea agreements and abbreviated trial procedures, as the majority of the defendants pleaded guilty to the charges. The courts also ordered the confiscation of over €12 million, as well as company shares, real estate, vehicles, watches, luxury items and cash. This is a first court decision, still subject to appeal.
At the heart of the fraudulent scheme is a criminal association formed of individuals operating in Italy, as well as in Belgium, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia, who introduced and marketed large quantities of lubricating oils for cars and trucks, intended for consumers in the Italian market. The criminal organisation used multiple strategies to evade VAT and the payment of excise duties, including forged transportation documents and a network of shell companies.
The criminal group is also suspected of counterfeiting motor oil brands and laundering the illicit profits.
The investigation additionally showed that a company operating in the Matera area, which is one of the main hubs for the sale of vehicle lubricants in central and southern Italy, also sourced oil from the criminal association, concealing over €52 million in profits from the tax authorities.
It is estimated that the illicit activities of the criminal organisation caused a loss of €14 million in unpaid VAT and over €1 million in excise duties, during the 2017–2023 period.
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is the independent public prosecution office of the European Union. It is responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU.