A total of 100 suspects in Greece are facing charges of defrauding the European Union of nearly three million euros ($3.23 million) in agricultural funds, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) announced Wednesday.
The charges stem from three separate indictments filed in recent months, all tied to alleged schemes to fraudulently obtain EU subsidies meant for pastureland use, according to EPPO.
Between 2017 and 2020, livestock breeders—most of them based in Crete—successfully applied for agricultural subsidies intended to support the sector. The funds were distributed by the Greek Payment Authority of Common Agricultural Policy Aid Schemes, which manages money from the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.
Investigators found that the suspects submitted false claims of land ownership and forged lease agreements for plots they either did not own or had never rented. In many cases, the suspects listed addresses in areas where they did not actually live, according to the findings.
EPPO said 64 individuals—56 suspected perpetrators and eight alleged accomplices—were indicted on Feb. 18, 2025, in a case scheduled to go before the competent national court on May 16, 2025. Another 22 individuals, including 16 suspected perpetrators and six accomplices, were indicted in January, with their case expected to be heard later this month.
An additional 14 suspects, including eight charged as perpetrators and six as accomplices, were charged last year. That case is set to be heard on May 30, 2025.
If convicted, the suspects face up to five years in prison and fines, EPPO said.
