(Luxembourg, 19 February 2025) – The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Palermo (Italy) has taken down a criminal organisation involved in agricultural funding fraud in Sicily, alleged to have caused an estimated damage of more than €1.4 million. One suspect was arrested this week and five others were put under coercive measures, while assets were also seized.
According to the investigation, between 2018 and 2022, the criminal group, active in several provinces of Sicily, established fictitious companies to fraudulently acquire Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payment entitlements from the National Reserve, worth more than €360 000 – thus misleading Italy’s Agency for Payments in Agriculture (AGEA), responsible for managing and paying agricultural funds. They are suspected of declaring ownership and possession of land that they did not own, and of falsely declaring acquisition of land parcels through usucaption. Based on the evidence, the illegal profits were subsequently transferred to other companies, to conceal their illicit origin, or reinvested, including through participation in public auctions to purchase land.
One suspect was placed under house arrest with electronic bracelet. The judge for preliminary investigations of Messina also ordered another suspect to stay in the municipality of residence and banned four others from holding management positions in companies or requesting EU subsidies or state contributions for one year. Besides these six individuals, 23 other suspects are being investigated for fraud and money laundering.
In addition, the Carabinieri Agri-food Protection Department of Salerno and Messina (Reparti Carabinieri Tutela Agroalimentare di Salerno e Messina) seized approximately €60 000 in Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payment entitlements issued by AGEA, two agricultural plots of land in the province of Messina and two apartments in the province of Catania. Bank accounts worth €60 000 were also frozen.
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.