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From DJs to waiters, they posed as farmers to receive EU funds: 37 arrested in Greece

2025-10-23 22:19:57Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
From DJs to waiters, they posed as farmers to receive EU funds: 37 arrested in
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Greek police have arrested dozens of people suspected of posing as farmers to fraudulently benefit from millions of euros in European Union agricultural funds, which they then spent on luxury goods and travel.

Some of the 37 people arrested on Wednesday were DJs, waiters or had other professions unrelated to agriculture, law enforcement officials in Greece told the Financial Times .

The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), which investigates financial crimes linked to EU funds, said the suspects were part of a network in which individuals falsely claimed ownership of land and livestock to benefit from agricultural funds. The Luxembourg-based office said it had previously identified 324 people linked to the case who had benefited from EU subsidies.

According to Greek police estimates, the criminal group managed to benefit from around 20 million euros in subsidies between 2018 and 2022.

This case is part of a wider EPPO investigation into the misuse of EU agricultural aid, distributed through the Greek government agency for agricultural subsidies (OPEKEPE), which has been audited twice this year.

The agency, until recently responsible for distributing around 2.4 billion euros a year to Greek farmers, has suspended all payments through OPEKEPE until the investigation is complete.

The EPPO said the criminal group busted on Wednesday, October 22, is believed to have operated across Greece since at least 2018. The group “took advantage of procedural loopholes” in applications for agricultural aid and used forged documents to obtain subsidies from OPEKEPE, the EU prosecutor’s office said.

Investigators said some members of the group are suspected of “fraudulently obtaining agricultural land and pastures that did not belong to them” or were not eligible for subsidies. They also inflated the number of livestock to increase the amount received, according to the EPPO.

To cover their tracks, the suspects used “fictitious invoices” and channeled the funds through “multiple bank accounts,” mixing them with legitimate income. “Part of the money misappropriated is suspected to have been spent on luxury goods, travel and vehicles,” the EPPO said.

The European Commission has fined Greece 400 million euros after discovering systematic failures in the management of EU agricultural subsidies between 2016 and 2023.

In May, the EPPO searched the headquarters of OPEKEPE, and Greek police conducted a second search in July as part of a parallel investigation.

The Greek government has responded by announcing reforms that will merge OPEC with the tax administration, in an effort to improve transparency and accountability.

Beyond the criminal dimension, the scandal has caused a political storm. Parliament has approved a special commission to investigate OPEC and the events of recent years. A cabinet minister and four MPs have been forced to resign in recent months amid the turmoil.

The commission said it had “expressed concerns” about the Greek government’s planned reform of OPEC, which it described as “not entirely satisfactory.” Athens has until November 4 to submit a revised plan, the commission added.


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