All posts tagged: Financial crime/fraud

European prosecutors probe €11M cost of Greece’s migrant camps – POLITICO

European prosecutors probe €11M cost of Greece’s migrant camps – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

In addition to the exorbitant cost, the process had also drawn the opposition’s attention because a New Democracy official had been appointed director of the ministry’s Technical Service, which was in charge of both constructions. Then-Minister of Migration Notis Mitarachi defended the appointment when the issue was raised in parliament in 2020, arguing that the technical service then operated through NGOs, which managed 82 percent of EU migration funds. The first contract now under EPPO investigation involves the expansion of an existing camp in Malakasa, built in order to accommodate 1,500 migrants transferred from the islands. The contract was awarded in April 2020 to a company based in Athens, without prior tender. While the initial deal for the structure’s basic maintenance was worth €4.3 million, the project was eventually delivered after at least five extensions and a supplementary contract worth €1.7 million. Former Greek Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi speaks to the press prior to a meeting in the Europa building in Brussels on Nov. 25, 2022. | Thierry Monasse/Getty Images The EPPO is also probing …

EU parties misspent €1.5M in European election campaign, documents show – POLITICO

EU parties misspent €1.5M in European election campaign, documents show – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

This accounting trick was repeatedly mentioned in last year’s audits, and this year the Parliament’s administration urged organizations in several meetings “to discontinue the practice,” the report says. “There could have been an attempt to fraudulently use public money,” said Louis Drouneau, founder of the European Democracy Consulting, an organization that tracks political party donations and expenditure. “And since there is so little transparency regarding the expenses of European parties … this decreases the ability of civil society and the press to keep a watchful eye on party expenses,” he said. “This is noticeably different from the level of transparency enacted in many member states.” “Any suspicion of illegal activity, fraud or corruption must be reported” to the anti-fraud office or the European prosecutor, the Parliament said in a statement.  It could not confirm how many cases were referred to these authorities over 2024 misspending. Of the €1.5 million, only €130,453 is properly accounted for in the Parliament’s report, with the reasons given for the misspending and those responsible: the Patriots, the Green European Foundation, the Institute of European Democrats and …

EU Parliament’s reputation at stake in access debate, new anti-fraud chief says – POLITICO

EU Parliament’s reputation at stake in access debate, new anti-fraud chief says – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Klement’s push for clarity over the scope of OLAF’s access comes ahead of an anticipated EU review later this year of rules governing the watchdog’s work, part of a broader revamp aimed at improving fraud prevention in Europe. It comes amid wider scrutiny of how EU institutions handle allegations of corruption and misconduct. The issue came into sharp focus during the 2022 corruption scandal known as Qatargate, a Belgian probe into alleged attempts by Qatar and Morocco to influence decision-making in the Parliament. OLAF investigators complained at the time of being blocked from accessing lawmakers’ offices and laptops. EU institutions have a “moral obligation” to “embrace transparency,” Klement wrote in OLAF’s annual report for 2025, released Monday. The body concluded eight cases last year involving Parliament staff members, the report said. “We don’t have any problems with most of [the EU institutions]. With most of them we cooperate without any issues,” Klement told POLITICO. But it’s debatable whether the agreements OLAF has with certain institutions are “enough as a legal basis for the cooperation,” he …

Russia-aligned Rumen Radev set to win Bulgarian election – POLITICO

Russia-aligned Rumen Radev set to win Bulgarian election – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

In his remarks after voting on Sunday morning, Radev said the election was an opportunity to “take back” the country from oligarchs, but also called for relations of “mutual respect” with Moscow, based on Russia’s role in liberating Bulgaria from the Ottoman empire in 1878.   While these positions have helped him build up a base of support at home, he has avoided direct confrontation with the West and has generally fallen in step with the European mainstream when attending European Council meetings in Brussels. European funds are vital to the EU’s poorest member country and Bulgarian leaders have traditionally avoided any provocative antics in Brussels in the style of outgoing Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán. In the days before the election, the former MiG-29 pilot pushed back against the accusations that he was pro-Russian. “I don’t see what kind of pro-Russian position I have. I have completely pro-Bulgarian positions, I have pro-European positions,” he said. He refuses to go to into coalition with Bulgaria’s two most prominent politicians — former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and …

Greece’s deputy agriculture minister resigns over degree fraud  – POLITICO

Greece’s deputy agriculture minister resigns over degree fraud  – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Lazaridis holds a diploma from the College of Southeastern Europe, a now-defunct private school whose credentials were not formally recognized as equivalent to a degree. When he left his position to work in the office of the now Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, it was filled instantly by his wife.  In a series of interviews this week, Lazaridis defended himself and said he wouldn’t justify his credentials to opposition parties and that he is not as lazy as “all left-wingers.” On Thursday, though, he offered to return any compensation he received improperly. Lazaridis on Saturday said he was resigning to ensure the government and the agriculture ministry could continue their work “without distraction” and accused opposition parties of “toxic attacks” and “slander.” The main opposition party, PASOK, was quick to criticize Mitsotakis’s administration. The resignation of Lazaridis “underscores just how weak the prime minister is,” PASOK said in a statement. “In the end, he opened the exit door himself, since his admission that he had defrauded the state was not grounds for dismissal in Mitsotakis’s eyes.” Source link

Greens push Merz to probe Germany’s possible Epstein links – POLITICO

Greens push Merz to probe Germany’s possible Epstein links – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Conspiracy theories proliferate Green party leaders counter that the German public needs an open investigation in order to counter proliferating online conspiracy theories related to the Epstein files, many of them propagating antisemitic worldviews. There was a “sustained surge” of antisemitic content across major social media platforms following the U.S. Department of Justice’s latest drop of documents related to Epstein and his crimes at the end of January, according to a study by Democ, a Berlin-based nonprofit that researches anti-democratic movements. In Germany, social media accounts associated with the extreme right have “adopted and amplified” such conspiracy theories, the study says. “If you leave it to others to explain and comment, conspiracy theories and narratives will sprout up,” Mihalic and von Notz said in their statement to POLITICO. “The federal government must finally counter such wild and sometimes absurd speculation with decisive and transparent action.” While no high-profile individuals in Germany have been directly connected to Epstein, German companies have been linked to the financier — most notably Deutsche Bank, which counted the convicted sex offender …

Former French minister Lang quits plum job over Epstein ties – POLITICO

Former French minister Lang quits plum job over Epstein ties – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Caroline Lang was also to inherit $5 million in Epstein’s will, according to Mediapart. Caroline Lang told the outlet that the fund was to support emerging artists and that she knew nothing of the will. “The accusations against me are inaccurate, and I will prove it, beyond the noise and fury of the media and digital courts,” Lang said in his resignation letter sent to Barrot. Contacted by POLITICO, Lang shared the resignation letter. In the latest wave of Epstein correspondence released by the U.S. Justice Department, Lang appeared in a picture with Epstein outside of the Louvre, and shared by Epstein with Steve Bannon, former chief strategist for U.S. President Donald Trump.  “Now at the pyramid,” Epstein wrote in March 2019. “With the entire govt.” Epstein and the Lang family maintained a close relationship over the years, Jack Lang and his daughter admitted last week. Jack Lang told POLITICO last week that he “never knew of Epstein’s crimes.” Jack Lang, 86, is a well known name in French politics and history after having served as …