Romania: EPPO indicts six suspects in investigation into fraud involving employment funds
(Luxembourg, 17 November 2025) – The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Cluj-Napoca (Romania) has filed an indictment against six suspects, including a former public official, following an investigation into fraud involving EU funds intended to boost the employability of young people.
According to the investigation, between 2018 and 2020, the defendants obtained several grants related to projects that would support young people – including vulnerable individuals, or young people not in employment, education or training (NEET) – to boost their employability, find an apprenticeship or traineeship, and help them accessing the job market. The grants were all funded from the European Social Fund (ESF) and the total amount obtained was €75 000.
The suspects are believed to have submitted documents with incorrect data to the Botoșani County Employment Agency to be eligible for the grants. It is alleged that the official of the employment agency now indicted helped the organisations operating in the vocational training sector to fill out the applications for the grants and ultimately receiving them. In addition, the public official became a lecturer in a training course organised by another defendant. Based on the evidence, the public official fraudulently recorded attendance at the training courses and falsified the administration of the tests.
According to the investigation, the projects were not carried out and the trainings to boost young people’s employability did not take place.
If found guilty, the defendants face prison sentences from two to seven years.
All persons concerned are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in the competent Romanian 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.