(Luxembourg, 18 May 2026) – The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Bucharest (Romania) is leading an investigation into suspected procurement and subsidy fraud involving non-repayable EU funding to support small farms and young farmers. Searches were carried out in Dâmbovița County on 13 May 2026 and one suspect was arrested.
The investigation concerns hundreds of projects submitted for funding from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), intended to support the installation of young farmers and the development of small farms. According to the investigation, an authorised consultant allegedly used and submitted false and inaccurate documents in 237 projects presented to the contracting authority, the Agency for Rural Investment Financing (AFIR). The projects were submitted on behalf of 237 legal entities, including individual enterprises, family businesses, authorised individuals and companies.
The allegedly false documents were used to demonstrate compliance with the funding conditions and to fraudulently obtain non-repayable EU financial support. The total value of the requested funding amounted to approximately €5.7 million (RON 27.7 million), while the estimated damage to the EU budget is approximately €3.5 million (RON 16.8 million).
The main suspect, the consultant, was detained on 13 May 2026 and arrested the following day by the Bucharest Tribunal, at the request of the EPPO. Three other individuals were indicted and placed under judicial control. In addition, 22 individuals are under investigation for allegedly agreeing, in exchange for commissions ranging from 10% to 15% of the total project value, to allow fraudulent funding applications to be submitted in their names.
If found guilty, the defendants could face prison sentences of up to 10 years.
During the searches, investigators gathered evidence, including documents and electronic devices.
The searches were carried out with the support of the EPPO Support Structure in Romania (Structura de sprijin a procurorilor europeni delegați în România), the General Police Directorate of Bucharest Municipality - Service for Investigating Economic Crime (Direcția Generală de Poliție a Municipiului București - Serviciul de Investigare a Criminalității Economice), as well as the Dambovita County Police Inspectorate (Inspectoratul de Poliție Județean Dambovita) and Dambovita County Gendarmerie Inspectorate (Inspectoratul Judetean de Jandarmi Dambovita).
All persons concerned are presumed 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.