Belgium: EU consultant found guilty of attempted fraud in first verdict in Belgian courts

(Luxembourg, 9 October 2023) – A consultant working for the EU institutions has been found guilty of attempted fraud, in the first verdict in a Belgian court of a case investigated and prosecuted by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Brussels.

The facts took place in December 2021 and January 2022, when a consultant working for the EU institutions as an IT software developer filled out duplicate time sheets for the same working days. In so doing, he attempted to obtain double payment from the European Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS). 

The case was initiated due to a report from the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), and the investigation was entrusted to the Belgian Federal Police’s Central Unit for Economic Crime (CDGEFID/OCDEFO), under the direction of the EPPO.

The judgment was rendered on 6 October 2023 by the Correctional Chamber of the Dutch-speaking Tribunal of First Instance in Brussels (Nederlandstalige correctionele rechtbank). The defendant was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, suspended for three years, and a fine of €8 000.

The parties have 30 days to lodge an appeal, after which the decision becomes final.

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.