The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) announced that its Bucharest branch indicted five persons and two companies for EU funding fraud worth an estimated EUR 1.7 million. The suspects allegedly used false documents to obtain EU funds for the creation of an agricultural holding.

According to the EPPO, the investigation targets the administrator of the company receiving the EU funds, who was also a member of the Romanian Parliament; the company in receipt of the EU funds; two administrators of that company; one accountant; one site engineer; and an additional company.

The illegal activities took place between September 2018 and February 2023.

“In total, the suspects are understood to have unjustly received EUR 1.9 million (RON 9,210,491), of which the actual damages caused were EUR 1.7 million (RON 8,358,821) as the disbursement of EUR 200,000 was stopped thanks to the investigation,” the EPPO said.

The five persons and the two companies were ordered to be charged as defendants for forgery and fraud against the financial interest of the EU. EPPO said freezing orders over EUR 1.7 million have also been initiated to recover the damages.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

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