Twenty individuals have been convicted to more than 70 years of imprisonment for organising and participating in a criminal association and money laundering, following an investigation by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Milan and Palermo (Italy). These are the first verdicts in investigation “Moby Dick”, involving a criminal syndicate suspected of a VAT fraud scheme of more than half a billion euros.

In an investigation led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Vilnius, the Lithuanian Financial Crime Investigation Service (Finansinių nusikaltimų tyrimo tarnyba - FNTT) carried out searches this week in the offices of major companies involved in the trade of electronics and household appliances.

Today, the College of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) found the Bulgarian European Prosecutor guilty of serious misconduct, as detailed in the opinion of the Disciplinary Board, composed of high-ranking officials, or former officials, of the European institutions. 

In an investigation led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Lisbon (Portugal), codenamed ‘Terra Queimada’ (‘Scorched Earth’), multiple searches were carried out today, as part of a probe into suspected subsidy fraud involving reforestation in Madeira, with an estimated damage of €3.6 million.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Ljubljana (Slovenia) has filed an indictment in the District Court in Ptuj against two individuals, accused of forging public documents to fraudulently obtain EU agricultural funds, aimed at supporting farm modernisation. 

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. 

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Sofia (Bulgaria) filed an indictment today against four suspects, accused of fraudulently obtaining employment benefits for people with disabilities. 

A Spanish citizen was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for impersonating a service provider to the EU mission in Somalia, in order to fraudulently obtain funds, following an investigation by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Madrid (Spain).

The Court of Appeal of Lithuania has upheld the convictions of two former Lithuanian customs officers, as well as two Belarusian citizens, for the smuggling of large quantities of cigarettes from Belarus, confirming the lower court’s judgement and dismissing the defendants’ appeals. The customs officers’ conviction for abuse of office was also upheld.

At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Palermo (Italy), the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) of Palermo and Padova seized a large-scale industrial plant for the manufacture of cigarettes, as well as 5.5 tonnes of cigarettes and 16 tonnes of tobacco, in the province of Padova.