News

Following a large-scale VAT fraud investigation led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Cologne (Germany), code-named ´Huracán´, five individuals were convicted yesterday (30 October) by the Regional Court in Düsseldorf for organised VAT fraud, and aiding and abetting tax fraud. Their criminal activities, which involved trading cars, are estimated to have caused damage of more than €53 million.

Today, the trial of 26 defendants (11 individuals and 15 companies) accused of an intra-community VAT fraud scheme involving several countries will begin at the Central Criminal Court of Lisbon (Portugal), following an investigation codenamed Admiral. This is the first trial under the European Public Prosecutor's Office’s (EPPO) flagship investigation into the most complex VAT fraud to date. 

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Timisoara (Romania) arrested three suspects yesterday, including two public officials, in an investigation into a criminal scheme that obtained €2.2 million in EU funds for pastures. 

Today, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Zlín (Czechia) brought charges against one individual and one association for fraudulently obtaining €200 000 (CZK 5 million) in EU funds for the provision of childcare services. 

At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Milan (Italy), the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) has seized two properties in an investigation into the embezzlement of €1 million in EU and national funds, involving a vocational training institute. 

Two individuals and one company were charged today with a €3.9 million subsidy fraud, following an investigation into a project for an innovative line to produce new types of toast bread, led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Prague (Czechia).

A coordinated sting by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Bologna and Milan (Italy) today dismantled a criminal gang, alleged to have evaded the payment of €113 million in VAT, while using a Chinese underground banking network for money laundering.

Last week, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Bucharest (Romania) filed an indictment at the Bucharest Tribunal against three Romanian citizens, a former mayor and his two sons, for fraud involving medical services, financed by the EU. 

At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Rome (Italy), the Italian State Police (Polizia di Stato) have carried out several house searches, arrests and seizures in the Lazio and Campania regions, in a probe into an alleged criminal association suspected of corruption for the award of projects funded by the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) for Italy.