The European Prosecutor's Office is sending two people from Romania to trial for fraud involving six Erasmus+ projects.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office has announced that its office in Iași has sent to trial the president and vice president of an association in Romania in a fraud case involving six Erasmus+ projects. Prosecutors claim that the two used falsified documents to divert European funds for personal gain, under conditions where some projects were only partially completed, while others were not implemented at all. The estimated damage is 111,342 euros, approximately 541,000 lei.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office has sent to trial two individuals from Romania, the president and vice president of an association, in a fraud case involving six Erasmus+ projects. The investigation by the European Public Prosecutor's Office in Iași supports that the advance mechanism of the European program was used to obtain and divert funds that were supposed to finance mobility, education, training, and projects for young people.

In short

The European Public Prosecutor's Office has sent to trial the president and vice president of an association in Romania.

The case involves six Erasmus+ projects.

Prosecutors claim that the defendants submitted falsified documents to use the funds for personal purposes.

Some projects were reportedly only partially implemented, while others were not implemented at all.

The estimated damage is 111,342 euros, approximately 541,000 lei.

Erasmus+ is one of the most well-known programs of the European Union, used for cross-border mobility, education, training, and projects for young people. For organizations, the program can provide an advance of up to 80% of the grant, allowing projects to start before the final settlement.

This advance remains the property of the European Union until the beneficiary submits a satisfactory final report. In practice, this means that the money can be used for approved activities, but it does not become definitively the beneficiary's until after verifying how the project was carried out.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office claims that the two defendants abused this mechanism by submitting falsified documents and diverting funds for personal purposes. According to the investigation, some Erasmus+ projects were reportedly only partially completed, while others were not implemented at all.

In some cases, project costs were allegedly artificially inflated through false statements. Such practices directly affect the purpose of the program, as European funds intended for mobility and training may end up not financing the activities for which they were approved.

If found guilty, the two individuals face sentences of between two and seven years in prison. The European Public Prosecutor's Office specifies that all individuals involved benefit from the presumption of innocence until guilt is established by the competent Romanian courts.

The association targeted in the case, through a designated representative, has concluded a plea agreement, which must be approved by the court. According to the statement, the agreement provides for a financial penalty and the publication of the court's decision as an additional sanction.

In an earlier stage of the investigation, the European Public Prosecutor's Office seized assets to cover the estimated damage of 111,342 euros, approximately 541,000 lei. The seized assets include real estate, a vehicle, and bank accounts.

The case is relevant as it shows how fraud with European funds can occur even in programs perceived by the public as strictly educational or civic. Erasmus+ finances projects that should provide concrete experiences of learning, mobility, and cooperation for young people and organizations, and the false use of documents can turn an educational tool into a mechanism for diverting European money.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office is the independent prosecutor's office of the European Union. The institution investigates, prosecutes, and brings to trial crimes that affect the financial interests of the EU.

https://2eu.brussels/ro/stiri/parchetul-european-trimite-in-judecata-doua-persoane-din-romania-pentru-frauda-cu-sase-proiecte-erasmus