(Luxembourg, 22 January 2026) – At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Rome (Italy), the judge for preliminary investigations of the Court of Tempio Pausania ordered the seizure of €94 000 in an investigation into suspected fraud affecting EU and national funds.
The investigation concerns two individuals suspected of fraudulently obtaining public financing for a business project in La Maddalena (Sardinia) that was never effectively implemented. The funding, amounting to approximately €170 000, included EU grants and financing guaranteed by national support instruments for small and medium-sized enterprises, both amounting to 50% of the overall funding, and was intended for the construction of a kiosk on Cardellino beach.
According to the investigation, the suspects, acting as legal representative and de facto administrator of the beneficiary company, allegedly used a fictitious registration in the name of a third party to circumvent an incompatibility and retain control over the company. It is further suspected that false or misleading documentation, including fabricated tax documents and a counterfeit surety bond, was submitted to obtain and retain the public funds.
To secure the potential recovery of the damage, the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) seized assets corresponding to the suspected proceeds of the offence, including funds held in bank accounts, company shares, vehicles, and a share of ownership in a residential property.
All persons concerned are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in the competent Italian courts of law.
The 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.