(Luxembourg, 9 August 2024) – The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Sofia (Bulgaria) filed an indictment today against an entrepreneur, accused of using false documentation to obtain EU funds for the construction of a farm for laying hens.
The defendant is the manager of a company that obtained EU agricultural funding from Bulgaria’s State Fund for Agriculture for a project to develop a farm for egg production, amounting to € 490 000 (BGN 958 459).
In order to receive an advance payment of the funds, the manager submitted a bank guarantee that was rejected by the paying agency, as it did not respect the requirements. It is alleged that the defendant subsequently presented a forged amendment to the original bank guarantee, making it appear as if it had been issued by the bank with the required changes – thus misleading the paying agency, which made an advance payment of approximately €245 000 (BGN 479 229.70), equivalent to 50% of the funds.
In addition, according to the investigation, the works for which the beneficiary received the funds were never executed.
If convicted, the defendant faces a sentence of between two and eight years of imprisonment.
All persons concerned are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in the competent Bulgarian courts of law.
The EPPO is the independent public prosecution office of the European Union. It is responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU.