Six Charged in EU Mobility‑Fund Fraud Over Unused Electric Boats in Tuscany

Six individuals have been ordered to stand trial for aggravated fraud, attempted fraud and embezzlement tied to an EU LIFE programme that funded a sustainable‑mobility project in the Tuscan municipalities of Orbetello, Monte Argentario and Isola del Giglio. The scheme included electric boats intended for the Orbetello lagoon, which never entered service and remained as un‑homologated prototypes. Investigators found that roughly 70 % of the €2.84 million grant was spent on personnel costs, including travel to tourist locations, and that many vehicles purchased with the funds were abandoned.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office in Bologna coordinated the probe, which led to the blocking of €852,549 of the final tranche and the launch of a recovery process for €1.99 million already disbursed. The six accused include two project managers, three company administrators and one employee of a beneficiary firm.