European Public Prosecutor's Office,EPPO:update

 

15/07/2026   European Public Prosecutor's Office News

Follow us

Press release

Italy: EPPO indicts six suspects in fraud investigation involving sustainable mobility project (Luxembourg, 15 July 2026) – The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Bologna (Italy) has indicted six individuals before the competent Italian court for suspected fraud involving EU funding under the LIFE programme, intended to support sustainable mobility initiatives in the Tuscan municipalities of Isola del Giglio, Monte Argentario and Orbetello. The investigation concerns a project financed through the EU’s LIFE programme, a funding instrument supporting environmental, climate and energy transition initiatives. The project aimed to promote integrated sustainable mobility through the use of electric vehicles, including bicycles, scooters, cars and boats. It also envisaged electric boats for navigation in the Orbetello lagoon. According to the investigation, the project coordinator and other beneficiaries allegedly misused a substantial part of the EU funding awarded for the project. The evidence gathered indicates that vehicles and equipment acquired or developed with EU funds were ultimately left unused and in a state of abandonment. Investigators also established that approximately 70% of the project budget was allocated to personnel costs, including expenses allegedly unrelated to the implementation of the project. The investigation further revealed that, instead of carrying out genuine project activities, some of the suspects allegedly awarded contracts to companies linked to them. These companies then invoiced consultancy services connected to the project, artificially inflating project costs and enabling the unlawful acquisition of EU funds. The project received total funding of €2 841 430. Thanks to the investigation, the payment of the final instalment of €852 549 was prevented. Among those indicted are the scientific coordinator of the project, an administrative employee involved in its management, three company directors and one employee of beneficiary companies. The investigation was carried out by the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) of Orbetello under the direction of the EPPO in Bologna and included multiple searches across several Italian regions and the analysis of seized documentation.   more   Germany: EPPO secures further convictions in major VAT fraud case involving luxury cars and face masks (Luxembourg, 14 July 2026) – The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Berlin (Germany) has secured the conviction of three defendants by the Regional Court of Berlin in a major investigation into organised VAT fraud involving the trade in luxury vehicles and medical face masks. On 10 July 2026, the Regional Court convicted the defendants, as members of a criminal organisation, of organised VAT fraud, aiding and abetting VAT fraud, money laundering and commercial forgery of documents. One defendant was also convicted of subsidy fraud relating to the fraudulent acquisition of German COVID-19 support loans through companies linked to the criminal network. The present proceedings concern members of the second tier of the criminal hierarchy, including the tax adviser of the criminal organisation, after an earlier judgement in June 2024 saw five individuals convicted, including the three leading members. Two of the convicted defendants had fled following investigative measures in the original case. One was arrested in Croatia in July 2025 on the basis of a European Arrest Warrant, while the other later surrendered voluntarily to the authorities. During the investigation, assets worth approximately €1.5 million were seized in Germany and abroad, including real estate, bank accounts, cash and luxury watches in Croatia, Germany and Spain. The court-imposed prison sentences range from four years and ten months to seven years and four months and are still subject to appeal. As previously reported, the convictions concern a criminal scheme involving the trade in luxury vehicles and medical face masks that operated between 2019 and 2024 through a network of companies in several countries, including Czechia, Germany and Poland. The members of the criminal organisation allegedly used straw men, shell companies and missing traders to conceal their activities, evade VAT obligations and fraudulently claim VAT refunds on cross-border transactions within the EU. The tax damage caused by this scheme exceeds €50 million.   more   Portugal: EPPO indicts 15 suspects over fraud involving RRF-funded projects for public education institutions Portuguese version below / Versão em português infra (Luxembourg, 14 July 2026) – The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Porto (Portugal) has indicted 12 individuals, including four public officials, and three companies, for their alleged participation in a fraud scheme involving projects funded by the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) for public education institutions, following an investigation code-named Nexus. The indictment was filed on 11 July in the Central Criminal Court of Porto. Two of the defendants are in pre-trial detention. At issue are public contracts financed by RRF funds for the acquisition of IT and cybersecurity equipment by a public university and a group of secondary schools. According to the evidence, the defendants participated in an organised and systematic criminal scheme established to obtain privileged information relating to public contracts, with the aim of winning public tenders. Procurement procedures for information technology equipment were systematically designed to meet the supplier’s commercial interests and technical requirements. The scheme involved suppliers and buyers, and counted on the support of public officials, including a deputy dean and professors. They are accused of steering contracts to favoured companies in exchange for private interests. The contracts were awarded to a national business group and its related companies, dedicated to importing, exporting and selling computer hardware and software. Other companies are accused of participating in the procurement procedures solely to create the appearance of genuine competition. The conduct of the defendants caused an estimated damage to the EU of over €3.5 million. The fraud also increased the acquisition costs, allowing the supplier to obtain profits significantly higher than those normally achieved by distributors and systems integrators.   more   Portugal: Procuradoria Europeia deduz acusação contra 15 arguidos por fraude relacionada com projetos financiados pelo PRR para estabelecimentos públicos de ensino (Luxemburgo, 14 de julho de 2026) – A Procuradoria Europeia (EPPO) no Porto deduziu acusação contra 12 pessoas singulares, incluindo quatro funcionários públicos, e três pessoas coletivas, pela sua alegada participação num esquema fraudulento relacionado com projetos financiados pelo Plano de Recuperação e Resiliência (PRR) destinados a estabelecimentos públicos de ensino, na sequência da investigação denominada Nexus. A acusação foi deduzida em 11 de julho no Tribunal Central Criminal do Porto. Dois dos arguidos encontram-se em prisão preventiva. Em causa estão contratos públicos financiados por fundos do PRR para a aquisição de equipamentos informáticos e de cibersegurança por uma universidade pública e um agrupamento de escolas secundárias. De acordo com os elementos de prova recolhidos, os arguidos participaram num esquema criminoso organizado e sistemático, criado para obter informação privilegiada relativa a contratos públicos, com o objetivo de assegurar a adjudicação de procedimentos de contratação pública. Os procedimentos de aquisição de equipamentos informáticos eram sistematicamente concebidos de modo a satisfazer os interesses comerciais e os requisitos técnicos do fornecedor. O esquema envolvia fornecedores e entidades adjudicantes, contando com o apoio de funcionários públicos, entre os quais um vice-reitor e professores universitários. Os arguidos são acusados de direcionar a adjudicação de contratos para empresas favorecidas, em troca de interesses privados. Os contratos foram adjudicados a um grupo empresarial nacional e a empresas com ele relacionadas, dedicadas à importação, exportação e comercialização de equipamento e programas informáticos. Outras empresas são acusadas de ter participado nos procedimentos de contratação pública apenas para criar a aparência de uma concorrência efetiva. A conduta dos arguidos causou um prejuízo estimado para a União Europeia superior a 3,5 milhões de euros. A fraude contribuiu igualmente para o aumento dos custos de aquisição, permitindo ao fornecedor obter lucros significativamente superiores aos habitualmente alcançados por distribuidores e integradores de sistemas.   more

European Public Prosecutor's Office - 11 Avenue John F. Kennedy, Luxembourg, 1855 Luxembourg