Five Criminal Networks, 1,151 Defendants, €19 Million: Greece's EU Farm Subsidy Fraud Crackdown Widens

Greece's anti-organized crime directorate has dismantled two further agricultural subsidy fraud networks in Crete and northern Greece, bringing the total to five criminal syndicates uncovered in a single investigation that has produced 1,151 defendants, 92 arrests and more than €19 million in identified fraud since the judicial offensive began last September.

Appeals Prosecutor Dimitris Gyzis is overseeing the operation, having signed more than 220 asset forfeiture and property

Mr. Gyzis directed the raids by the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime across Crete, northern Greece and other regions where the networks operated.

All five rings used an identical mechanism: corrupt operators at state-approved grant processing centers identified unassigned public land or unclaimed private plots in EU farm subsidy databases, then submitted fabricated lease agreements, forged notary signatures and false asset declarations to draw funds from OPEKEPE,

Greece's EU agricultural payment agency. Police documentation shows multiple individuals claiming the same land parcels, and entirely fictitious livestock operations with invented animal identification codes.

Proceeds were funnelled through bank accounts held by family members and associates acting as financial fronts.

The investigation is the largest coordinated prosecution of EU agricultural subsidy fraud in Greek legal history and follows a series of related convictions and arrests reported this week — including a separate case in which an Athens court convicted 13 defendants, and raids in Crete last week that netted 20 arrests including a sitting municipal deputy mayor.

Anna Kandylli

Διαβάστε περισσότερα στο iefimerida.gr

Greece's anti-organized crime directorate has dismantled two further agricultural subsidy fraud networks in Crete and northern Greece, bringing the total to five criminal syndicates uncovered in a single investigation that has produced 1,151 defendants, 92 arrests and more than €19 million in identified fraud since the judicial offensive began last September.

Appeals Prosecutor Dimitris Gyzis is overseeing the operation, having signed more than 220 asset forfeiture and property seizure orders targeting the principal suspects.

Mr. Gyzis directed the raids by the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime across Crete, northern Greece and other regions where the networks operated.

All five rings used an identical mechanism: corrupt operators at state-approved grant processing centers identified unassigned public land or unclaimed private plots in EU farm subsidy databases, then submitted fabricated lease agreements, forged notary signatures and false asset declarations to draw funds from OPEKEPE,

Greece's EU agricultural payment agency. Police documentation shows multiple individuals claiming the same land parcels, and entirely fictitious livestock operations with invented animal identification codes.

Proceeds were funnelled through bank accounts held by family members and associates acting as financial fronts.

The investigation is the largest coordinated prosecution of EU agricultural subsidy fraud in Greek legal history and follows a series of related convictions and arrests reported this week — including a separate case in which an Athens court convicted 13 defendants, and raids in Crete last week that netted 20 arrests including a sitting municipal deputy mayor.

Anna Kandylli

Διαβάστε περισσότερα στο iefimerida.gr