Palermo veterinary fund fraud leads to €175,000 seizure

The Guardia di Finanza in Palermo executed a court order to seize more than €175,000 in assets from the former extraordinary commissioner and president of the Istituto Zooprofilattico of Palermo and two other senior officials. The seizure, ordered by the GIP of the Palermo tribunal at the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), targets proceeds from aggravated fraud involving EU‑funded programmes intended to protect public veterinary health. Investigators from the economic‑financial police focused on funds allocated by the Sicilian Region and an international organization between 2022 and 2025, alleging that the accused diverted money to private compensation and outsourced contracts that had previously been handled in‑house. The case remains under investigation, with the presumption of innocence until a final judgment is rendered.