A Greek court ordered the pre-trial detention of one of 22 defendants in an alleged subsidy fraud case involving farm payments in Crete, concluding a two-day series of testimonies on Sunday.
The case centers on allegations that members of a criminal network submitted false declarations to Greece’s agricultural payments agency, OPEKEPE, in order to receive EU-linked subsidies.
Charges include participation in a criminal organization, large-scale fraud against EU financial interests, complicity in fraud and money laundering.
The European investigating magistrate and European public prosecutor ordered the detention of one of two brothers, both accountants from Rethymno, accused of submitting fraudulent applications.
The remaining 21 defendants were released, with 10 placed under restrictive conditions and required to post bail of up to €10,000.
