Greece Detains 37 in EU Farm Subsidy Raids as Suspects Face Prosecutors

Overview

• Police made 37 arrests in coordinated operations across Athens, Thessaloniki, Crete and other areas, with five suspects still at large and alleged ringleaders in custody.
• Authorities say most suspects are not active farmers and allegedly faked land or eligibility, inflated livestock numbers, issued fictitious invoices and routed money through multiple accounts.
• EPPO reports 324 subsidy recipients under scrutiny with 42 considered current members of an organized group, estimating losses to the EU budget above €19.6 million, while police cite at least €5 million in damage expected to exceed €10 million after a full audit.
• OLAF raided OPEKEPE offices on October 13 as part of parallel probes, and Greece’s police minister said state auditors have seized about €25 million from spurious tax accounts.
• The European Commission has fined Athens €400 million for systemic failings, set a November 4 deadline for a revised action plan, and separate inquiries include the case of Giorgos Xylouris, where €2.5 million and eight vehicles were flagged by authorities.