The European Prosecutor's Office is investigating a possible fraud of 3.5 million euros in Romania involving 237 EU-funded agricultural projects.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office in Bucharest is investigating an alleged fraud involving non-reimbursable European funds intended for small farms and young farmers. The investigation targets 237 projects submitted to AFIR, allegedly false or inaccurate documents, an estimated damage of 3.5 million euros, and a consultant arrested after searches in Dâmbovița County.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office, EPPO, through its office in Bucharest, is investigating an alleged fraud involving non-reimbursable European funds estimated at 3.5 million euros, related to 237 agricultural projects financed through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. Searches took place in Dâmbovița County on May 13, 2026, and a consultant suspected of using false or inaccurate documents was detained and then arrested at the request of EPPO.

In short EPPO Bucharest is investigating an alleged fraud of 3.5 million euros involving European agricultural funds. The investigation targets 237 projects submitted for funding through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. An authorized consultant is suspected of using false or inaccurate documents in projects submitted to AFIR. The main suspect was detained on May 13, 2026, and arrested the next day by the Bucharest Tribunal at the request of EPPO. Three individuals have been charged and placed under judicial control, while another 22 individuals are under investigation.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office in Bucharest is conducting an investigation into an alleged fraud involving non-reimbursable European funds intended to support small farms and the establishment of young farmers. According to EPPO, searches were carried out in Dâmbovița County on May 13, 2026, and a suspect was arrested as part of the investigation.

The investigation concerns hundreds of projects submitted for funding from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, EAFRD. The funds were intended to support the establishment of young farmers and the development of small farms. EPPO states that an authorized consultant allegedly used and submitted false and inaccurate documents in 237 projects presented to the contracting authority, the Agency for the Financing of Rural Investments, AFIR.

The projects were submitted in the name of 237 legal entities, including individual enterprises, family businesses, authorized natural persons, and companies. The documents suspected of being false were allegedly used to demonstrate compliance with funding conditions and to fraudulently obtain non-reimbursable financial support from European funds.

The total value of the requested funding was approximately 5.7 million euros, equivalent to 27.7 million lei. The estimated damage to the European Union budget is approximately 3.5 million euros, equivalent to 16.8 million lei.

The main suspect, the consultant, was detained on May 13, 2026, and arrested the following day by the Bucharest Tribunal at the request of the European Public Prosecutor's Office. Three other individuals have been charged and placed under judicial control.

Additionally, 22 individuals are being investigated for allegedly accepting, in exchange for commissions between 10% and 15% of the total project value, that fraudulent funding requests be submitted in their names. If found guilty, the defendants face prison sentences of up to 10 years.

During the searches, investigators collected evidence, including documents and electronic devices. The image published on the EPPO page along with the press release shows an agricultural landscape, in line with the nature of the investigated funds, intended for rural development.

The searches were conducted with the support of the Support Structure of the European Delegated Prosecutors in Romania, the General Directorate of Police of Bucharest Municipality, through the Economic Crime Investigation Service, the Dâmbovița County Police Inspectorate, and the Dâmbovița County Gendarmerie Inspectorate.

EPPO states that all individuals involved are presumed innocent until proven guilty before the competent Romanian courts.

The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development finances programs through which the European Union supports the development of rural areas, including the establishment of young farmers and the development of small farms. In Romania, such projects are managed through national funding mechanisms, and AFIR is the authority mentioned by EPPO as the contracting institution in this case.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office is the independent institution of the European Union responsible for investigating, prosecuting, and bringing to trial crimes that affect the financial interests of the EU. Cases of fraud involving subsidies or purchases financed from European funds fall within its jurisdiction when there are suspicions that the EU budget has been harmed.

https://2eu.brussels/ro/stiri/parchetul-european-investigheaza-in-romania-o-posibila-frauda-de-35-milioane-de-euro-cu-237-de-proiecte-agricole-finantate-de-ue