(Luxembourg, 24 April 2026) –The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Cluj-Napoca (Romania) has filed an indictment at Cluj Court against four individuals for suspected fraud involving funds for young farmers, co-financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).
According to the evidence, the defendants submitted false and inaccurate documents to Romania’s Agency for Financing Rural Investments (AFIR), responsible for managing EU funds, thereby attempting to unlawfully obtain €115 000 (RON 575 000), of which they received €45 000 (RON 225 000).
It is understood that the defendants were helped by two other individuals, who provided consultancy activities to obtain EU funds. These individuals issued false professional qualification certificates, certifying that the beneficiaries had attended professional training for ‘qualified workers in animal breeding’, a requirement to obtain the EU funding. They both signed plea agreements, requesting the application of simplified prosecution procedures. These agreements were subsequently submitted to the Cluj Court in March 2026.
If found guilty, the four main defendants face prison sentences of up to seven years.
In order to compensate the estimated damage to the EU budget, earlier in this investigation, one house and several plots of land were seized, worth approximately €170 000 (RON 868 171).
All persons concerned are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in the competent Romanian courts of law.
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.