European prosecutors on Friday brought criminal charges against another 14 people suspected of belonging to a gang in central and northern Greece that engaged in alleged fraud involving European Union farm subsidies.
The Athens branch of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office charged the suspects with running or belonging to a criminal organization, fraud and money-laundering. They allegedly defrauded the EU and Greece out of some €2.5 million between 2019-2024 in subsidies disbursed for fictitious farming activities.
The alleged ring based in the towns of Kozani and Agrinio is one of several separate suspected criminal organizations that milked the system, fraudulently drawing EU funds through the now-defunct OPEKEPE state agency.
The OPEKEPE scandal also took on a political slant after the EPPO sought the raising of the automatic protection from prosecution of a series of lawmakers with the governing conservative New Democracy party, who allegedly tried to improperly secure subsidies for party supporters.
So far, Greek authorities say they have broken five separate rings engaging in EU farm subsidy fraud through the former OPEKEPE agency, arresting 94 suspects, charging more than 1,100 and sequestering 52 bank accounts.
