News

More than 2000 tax, customs and police investigators in seven countries (Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain) are currently carrying out an action day with over 450 searches, as well as seizures of real estate and luxury cars. Five people were arrested today, 14 June 2023. 

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Cologne (Germany) leads this investigation, code-named Huracán, after their discovery of a large VAT fraud scheme concerning the international trade of more than 10 000 cars. The total fraudulent turnover of the organised crime group behind the scheme is estimated at €225 million, and the estimated VAT damage caused by the suspects amounts to at least €38 million. 

On 9 June 2023, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) submitted a plea agreement to the court of Bucharest (Romania), where the mayor of the commune of Tigveni (Argeș County) admits to having committed subsidy fraud prior to his mandate.

On 7 June 2023, two companies and two of their managers were convicted by the Regional court in Ostrava (Czechia) of subsidy fraud, following an investigation by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) into an employee-training project.

Last week, on 31 May 2023, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Zlín (Czechia), in cooperation with the Czech police, brought charges against two individuals and one association, for subsidy fraud involving the construction of social housing for the elderly.

On 7 and 8 June 2023, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Paris (France) carried out seizures and arrested three people suspected of involvement in a Europe-wide VAT fraud concerning the sale of second-hand vehicles.

On behalf of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Venice (Italy), the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) – Provincial Command of Piacenza have arrested the suspected ringleader of a VAT fraud scheme involving several countries, with estimated losses of €28 million.

At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), three private building contractors were placed under house arrest today, 05 June 2023, on suspicion of fraud involving the renovation of a public school in Palermo.

On Wednesday, 31 May 2023, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office in Paris (France) arrested the manager of a group of Chinese companies that imports electric bicycles (e-bikes), for customs fraud and money laundering, with estimated damages to the EU budget of €26 million. He was subsequently indicted and remanded in pre-trial detention by a liberty and detention judge of the Paris Judicial Court, on Friday, 2 June 2023.

On 18 May 2023, one person and one company were found guilty by the High Court in Prague (Czechia) of subsidy fraud and causing damage to the EU’s financial interests.