INVESTIGATION OF THE EUROPEAN PUBLIC PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE – FRAUD AGAINST THE EUROPEAN UNION.THE DIA SEIZED ASSETS WORTH ABOUT EUR 450,000.

The Direzione Investigativa Antimafia by proxy of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office in Palermo, carried out a preventive seizure issued by the G.I.P (preliminary investigating judge) at court in Enna against a woman, who had family ties with persons belonging to the organized crime group from the area of Peloritano, in the province of Messina, held responsible for aggravated fraud against the EU.

Last October, the woman was subject to another preventive seizure based on the checks carried out by the DIA on a list of companies, which although had been regarded as untrustworthy to obtain public funds, had submitted an application to have access to the funds under the Decree Law “Cura Italia”. The then unlawfully received money, which was subject to preventive seizure amounted to about EUR 245,000.00.

Following investigations highlighted that, in order to obtain the economic benefits under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), in the fraudulent single claims for payment relating to 2016-2021, the company had declared to have the availability of agricultural land that could not legitimately dispose of and had obtained from EAFRD further funds amounting to about EUR 405,000. The funds and an agritourism with accommodation linked to the suspect were subject to the above-mentioned preventive seizure

Catania, 7 dicembre 2023