A major scandal involving illegal farm subsidies distributed by Greece’s payment agency, OPEKEPE, has come to light, revealing widespread fraud, with Crete as the most significant offender.
Of the 1,036 tax numbers identified as having received illicit funds, 850 were on the island of Crete, accounting for over €17 million of the total €22.6 million in fraudulent payments. This makes Crete a “negative leader” in the scandal, with over 80% of all fraudulent tax numbers located on the island.
The scandal came to light through a European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) investigation, which found that the fraud had been organized on a massive scale. The European probe led to police raids on OPEKEPE offices in Athens and Crete and prompted the Greek government to dissolve the agency and transfer its duties to the tax authority.
The investigation revealed that many of the fraudulent applications were for nonexistent pastures or livestock and were made by individuals with no farming background, including a lawyer in Athens. The sheer scale of the fraud has fueled public anger, with some polls showing that a majority of Greeks believe government officials had a hand in the scandal.
Related: Greece’s Parliament Votes to Probe EU Farm Scandal
Methods of fraud
The fraud was executed through five key methods, as detailed by Minister of Citizen Protection Michalis Chrysochoidis:
- Falsifying ownership of agricultural plots.
- Claiming ownership of land or livestock from deceased individuals.
- False declaration of livestock numbers.
Submitting applications that didn’t meet eligibility criteria
Declaring the use of plots far from the beneficiaries’ place of residence, a practice known as “livestock tourism.”
In response, the Greek government has frozen the assets of those who illegally received funds. A special police team has also been formed to continue the investigation, focusing on identifying criminal groups involved in the scheme.
“It cannot and should not be tolerated that some people misappropriate valuable public resources,” Minister Chrysochoidis stated, emphasizing that these funds are meant to support the Greek agricultural economy, not for illegal enrichment.
Regional distribution of illegal farm subsidies
While Crete was the most impacted region, the fraud was a nationwide issue. Here’s a breakdown of the total illegal subsidies by region, highlighting the disproportionate amount received by Crete.
Related: Greece’s Farm Scandal Deepens: EU Prosecutor Launches New Probe
