Two suspects have been arrested and European prosecutors carried out searches and seizures in an investigation into a €166,000 fraud involving EU funds intended to hire persons in a vulnerable situation.
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office in Timișoara, said between 2020 and 2023, eleven suspects applied for five projects mainly funded from the European Social Fund (ESF), amounting to a total value of €166 000. The goal of the projects was to integrate 34 persons in a vulnerable situation into the job market for one year.
It is alleged that the suspects unlawfully obtained the employment funds, as they are believed to have drawn up false employment contracts and payrolls for 34 fictitious employees. The investigation revealed that the individuals neither performed the activity for which they were hired, nor had any of them received a salary.
The suspects are believed to have used the funds for personal purposes. Precautionary measures have been imposed to recover the damage, including the seizure of real estate and bank accounts.
The European Delegated Prosecutor in charge also ordered the detention of two suspects for 24 hours. The remaining nine suspects were charged for forgery of documents and subsidy fraud.
The investigation counted on the support of the EPPO Support Structure in Romania – Timișoara Territorial Offices; the Timiș and Gorj County Police Inspectorate – Economic Crime Investigation Service and the General Anti-Corruption Directorate-Timiș and Mehedinți County Services.
All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in the competent Romanian courts of law.
The EPPO is the independent public prosecution office of the European Union. It is responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU.
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