Greek crime ring siphons €4.5 million from EU farm subsidies

Greek authorities uncovered an organized‑crime group that defrauded the European Union and the Greek state of more than €4.5 million by submitting false applications for agricultural subsidies to OPEKEPE. The scheme, active since at least 2019, involved fabricating lease agreements for over 1,500 fictitious landholders and manipulating property‑status records. A police operation in northern Greece, coordinated by the Northern Greece Organized Crime Unit, resulted in 17 arrests, including six alleged leaders, and identified 317 additional suspects, of whom 302 are accused of illicitly receiving subsidies and 15 of filing false statements. Funds obtained were transferred through bank accounts and cash withdrawals and allegedly used to purchase real estate, vehicles and agricultural equipment.