Prosecutors from Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate have sent to trial 21 individuals in a case concerning the fraudulent obtaining of European funds.
20 individuals unlawfully obtained EU funds from APIA (Agency for Payments and Intervention in Agriculture,) for fictitious purchases of bee families, using fake invoices, receipts, and vouchers provided to them by the 21st defendant in the case.
The damage caused to APIA amounts to 470,944 lei (over 94,000 euros).
DNA accuses the defendants of knowingly using or presenting false, inaccurate, or incomplete documents or statements, if the act results in the unjust obtaining of European funds and of forgery of private signature documents.
"In 2020, one of the defendants allegedly facilitated the unlawful obtaining by several individuals (including the other 20 defendants investigated in this case) of the financial support offered by the Agency for Payments and Intervention in Agriculture, within the 'National Apiculture Program - Acquisition of queen bees and/or bee families for conventional or organic apiculture'," explains DNA in a press release.
The forger provided the beneficiaries with 226 documents - invoices, receipts, vouchers - falsely attesting that he had sold them bee families and queen bees. Subsequently, those individuals submitted those false documents to APIA in order to obtain non-reimbursable funds.
"In exchange for the assistance provided, the defendant allegedly received various sums of money from the program beneficiaries, which were paid after obtaining the funding.
Additionally, during the inspections carried out by APIA employees, the defendant allegedly provided the respective individuals with his own beehives, which he labeled with the hive numbers of the beneficiaries, to create the appearance that these had been actually purchased," adds DNA.
The case has been sent for trial to the Vâlcea Tribunal.
In the same case, DNA has reached plea agreements with five defendants.