News

Since yesterday until early hours this morning, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Athens (Greece) has led searches as part of an ongoing investigation into an alleged organised fraud scheme involving agricultural funds and corruption involving public officials of the Greek Payment and Control Agency for Guidance and Guarantee Community Aids (OPEKEPE).

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Timișoara (Romania) conducted 307 searches in 15 counties of Romania over the last two months, in an investigation into a suspected €1.32 million EU subsidy fraud involving beekeeping projects.

On Friday, the Central Criminal Court of Lisbon (Portugal) convicted 10 individuals and 13 companies for their role in setting up and operating a fraudulent scheme, dedicated to the sale of electronic goods in the EU market, while evading the payment of VAT. This investigation, code-named Admiral, was first announced in November 2022 and is considered the biggest VAT fraud ever investigated in the EU with an overall damage now estimated at €2.9 billion. The convictions in Portugal mark only the first judicial outcome in this wider and ongoing cross-border investigation.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Porto (Portugal) is leading an investigation into suspected large-scale customs fraud related to the import of e-bikes from China. Sixteen searches were conducted yesterday in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal, in order to collect evidence.

Today, at the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Naples (Italy), the Italian Financial Police of Caserta (Guardia di Finanza – Compagnia di Mondragone) executed an order of the judge for preliminary investigations at the Court of Salerno, to arrest 12 suspects and seize assets worth over €9.6 million. 

The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) in Iași (Romania) led a series of searches in Botoșani county and the commune of Coșula today. The city hall and the homes of the mayor of Coșula and other public officials were searched as part of an investigation into subsidy fraud and document forgery. Properties worth around €400 000 (RON 2 million) were seized. 

The College of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) has today appointed Ms Selomey Yamadjako as the new Administrative Director of the EPPO.

Today, at the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg, the European Prosecutors for Poland and Sweden gave the solemn undertaking to comply with the obligations arising from their duties. They were recently appointed to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) by the Council of the EU, following the decision of Poland and Sweden to join the EPPO. They are appointed for a non-renewable term of six years.

At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Palermo (Italy), a freezing order of €800 000 was issued against five individuals and one company suspected of EU funding fraud involving ceramic production. The Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) of Sant’Agata di Militello subsequently seized real estate, bank accounts and cash found in the possession of the suspects.