Greek court convicts 13 in OPEKEPE subsidy fraud case

The Athens Criminal Appeals Court found 13 of the 25 defendants guilty of fraud, conspiracy to defraud, false certification and related offenses tied to illegal EU agricultural subsidies distributed by the OPEKEPE agency in the Serres region between 2016 and 2018. The scheme involved roughly €250,000 in payments that were obtained through falsified applications and the use of “white‑pages” documents lacking proper checks.

Sentences ranged from five to 26 months of imprisonment, all suspended for three years, with the court also imposing €1,200 in legal costs per convict. Seven of the original 32 accused had earlier entered plea‑deal negotiations, returned about €165,000 and received reduced sentences of two to three years, also suspended. The judgment followed the recommendation of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, which had referred the case as one of its first investigations into EU fund misuse in Greece.

The rulings underscore heightened scrutiny of Greek agricultural grant administration and the role of European oversight in combating subsidy fraud.