The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Athens has filed criminal charges against 22 defendants, including four sitting members of the Greek Parliament, several former senior public officials and political figures, as part of an investigation into an alleged organized fraud ring involving agricultural funds.

Charges against seven other sitting members of parliament were dropped.

As previously reported, the EPPO is conducting several investigations into an alleged organized fraud scheme involving public officials from the Agency for the Payment and Control of Community Aid for Orientationand Guarantees (OPEKEPE). On April 24, 2026, the Hellenic Parliament accepted the request by the European Chief Prosecutor to lift the parliamentary immunity of 11 sitting members of parliament, in order to allow the EPPO to continue its investigations into acts allegedly committed in 2021 and to establish the facts of the case, by examining both incriminating and exculpatory evidence.

The investigations revealed recurring patterns of corruption in the management of European Union agricultural funds financed through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The evidence demonstrates, among other things, unlawful interference in administrative and audit procedures, retroactive alterations to data after the completion of mandatory audits, unlawful interference in on-site audits, the concealment and falsification of audit findings, and the issuance of false certifications.

In connection with these specific investigations, which concern exclusively acts allegedly committed in 2021, the EPPO is now pursuing criminal charges against:

The former President of OPEKEPE on five counts of embezzlement;
the former Director General of Direct Aid on two counts of embezzlement;
and two former Regional Directors of OPEKEPE for breach of trust and the unlawful management of European Union funds.

The defendants also include four sitting members of parliament. Three are charged with aiding and abetting breach of trust, while the fourth is charged with aiding and abetting the illegal management of European funds. One of the members of parliament is additionally charged with being an accomplice to making a false statement and with attempted computer fraud.

The remaining defendants include an employee of a sitting MP’s political office, an associate of a former minister, a veterinarian who is a public official, and several recipients of the subsidies. The charges against them are misdemeanors and include subsidy fraud, attempted computer fraud, and making false statements in public documents, while some are also charged with the corresponding forms of aiding and abetting offenses allegedly committed by senior public officials.

If found guilty, the defendants face prison terms of up to five years, as well as the criminal fines provided for under Greek law.

The charges against seven other sitting members of parliament, as well as two former members of parliament, were dismissed due to a lack of sufficient evidence to justify criminal prosecution. All relevant evidence was evaluated objectively and impartially, with equal attention paid to both incriminating and exculpatory evidence.

For the others under investigation, including three former members of parliament, proceedings are ongoing.

At the same time, other investigations are underway regarding acts allegedly committed in different years. For the time being, no further information will be made public so as not to jeopardize the outcome of the ongoing proceedings.

All persons involved are presumed innocent until proven guilty by the competent Greek courts.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is the independent prosecutorial authority of the European Union. It is responsible for investigating, prosecuting, and bringing to justice crimes that affect the financial interests of the European Union.

Source: Protothema.gr