EU prosecutors have eight people detained in Bulgaria, including a public official, in a probe of about EUR 990,000 in suspected employment-subsidy fraud
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What happened
On 30 June 2026 the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) in Sofia announced that, at its request, eight suspects, including a public official, were detained as part of an investigation into an organised criminal group suspected of fraudulently obtaining EU funds under employment support programmes. According to EPPO, members of the group used commercial companies to apply for projects financed under the Human Resources Development Programme 2021-2027 and are believed to have submitted false information and created fictitious employment relationships to meet eligibility requirements. EPPO says it is suspected that the group benefited from the complicity of a public official, and that the total amount allegedly fraudulently claimed and received is approximately EUR 990,000 (the press-release headline says EUR 900,000). The investigation is ongoing. EPPO states that all persons concerned are presumed innocent until proven guilty in the competent Bulgarian courts. EPPO takes reports of suspected fraud against EU funds from the public through an online form.
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Response
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What happened next (0)
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