OLAF discovered a group with ramifications in Romania and Italy which embezzled hundreds of thousands of euros from EU funds

A criminal group will be accounted for embezzling hundreds of thousand euros from EU funds for agriculture, growing tomatoes, the European Anti-fraud Office (OLAF)announced on Wednesday. OLAF says the group which “had no intention to grow tomatoes”, embezzled 850,000 euros from EU funds for agriculture. Also, according to Olaf, “No penny of this money was spent on agriculture or in Romania.”

A joint investigation between OLAF and Romanian and Italian authorities discovered the operation which involved screen companies, false financial statements and false documents.

The group supported subsidies in Romania, sending them to the accounts of Italian banks. Those funds were used to finance other criminal activities, according to OLAF.

The group saying that the same group could have used similar actions in other activities in Romania.

Five Italian citizens and four entities in Romania will be criminally investigated in Romania according to OLAF recommendations.

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