The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) announced on Thursday morning that it had brought criminal charges against 22 defendants in connection with the OPEKEPE case, including four sitting members of the Hellenic Parliament.

According to the EPPO, three of the MPs are accused of instigating breach of trust, while the fourth is accused of instigating the illegal management of European funds. In addition, one of the four MPs faces further accusations of instigating the issuing of a false certification and attempted computer fraud.

The same announcement clarified that “the charges against seven other sitting MPs have been archived”.

Regarding the remaining defendants, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office announced that it is prosecuting:

• the former President of OPEKEPE for five cases of breach of trust;
• the former Director General of Direct Payments for two cases of breach of trust;
• and two former Regional Directors of OPEKEPE for breach of trust and illegal management of European Union funds.

According to the EPPO, the other defendants “include an employee of the political office of a sitting MP, an associate of a former minister, a veterinarian who is a public official, and several beneficiaries of the aid payments”.

The announcement clarified that “if found guilty, the defendants face prison sentences of up to five years, as well as the criminal financial penalties provided for under Greek law”.

It is recalled that in April the parliamentary immunity of the following 11 MPs, who are mentioned in the OPEKEPE case file, was lifted:

• Kostas Tsiaras
• Notis Mitarakis
• Dimitris Vartzopoulos
• Christos Boukoros
• Lakis Vassileiadis
• Kostas Ach. Karamanlis
• Theofilos Leonaridis
• Maximos Senetakis
• Giannis Kefalogiannis
• Kostas Skrekas
• Katerina Papakosta

European Public Prosecutor’s Office announcement

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Athens has brought criminal charges against 22 defendants, including four sitting members of the Hellenic Parliament, several former senior public officials and political figures, as part of an investigation into an alleged organised fraud scheme involving agricultural funds.

The charges against seven other sitting MPs have been archived.

As previously reported, the EPPO is conducting several investigations into an alleged organised fraud scheme involving public officials of the Payment and Control Agency for Guidance and Guarantee Community Aid (OPEKEPE). On 24 April 2026, the Hellenic Parliament approved the request by the European Chief Prosecutor to lift the parliamentary immunity of 11 sitting MPs, allowing EPPO investigations to continue into acts allegedly committed in 2021 and enabling the establishment of the facts, through the examination of both incriminating and exculpatory evidence.

The investigations uncovered repeated patterns of corruption in the management of European Union agricultural funds financed through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The evidence indicates, among other things, unlawful interference in administrative and control procedures, retrospective amendments to records after the completion of mandatory checks, unlawful intervention in on-site inspections, concealment and alteration of inspection findings, as well as the issuing of false certifications.

In relation to these specific investigations, which concern exclusively acts allegedly committed in 2021, the EPPO is now prosecuting:

• the former President of OPEKEPE for five cases of breach of trust;
• the former Director General of Direct Payments for two cases of breach of trust;
• and two former Regional Directors of OPEKEPE for breach of trust and illegal management of European Union funds.

Four sitting MPs are also among the defendants. Three are accused of instigating breach of trust, while the fourth is accused of instigating the illegal management of European funds. One of the MPs is additionally accused of instigating the issuing of a false certification and attempted computer fraud.

The remaining defendants include an employee of the political office of a sitting MP, an associate of a former minister, a veterinarian who is a public official and several beneficiaries of the aid payments. The charges against them are misdemeanour-level offences and include subsidy fraud, attempted computer fraud and false certification in public documents. Some are also accused of corresponding forms of instigation of offences allegedly committed by senior public officials.

If found guilty, the defendants face prison sentences of up to five years, as well as the criminal financial penalties provided for under Greek law.

The charges against seven other sitting MPs, as well as two former MPs, were archived due to a lack of sufficient evidence justifying the initiation of criminal proceedings. All relevant evidence was assessed objectively and impartially, with equal consideration given to both incriminating and exculpatory material.

For the remaining individuals under investigation, including three former MPs, proceedings are continuing.

At the same time, further investigations are under way into acts allegedly committed in different years. No additional information will be made public at this stage in order not to jeopardise the outcome of the ongoing procedures.

All individuals involved are presumed innocent until proven guilty by the competent Greek courts.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is the independent prosecutorial authority of the European Union. It is responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing before the courts offences affecting the financial interests of the European Union.