Lithuania: Two Arrested, Nine Detained in €200,000 Fraud Investigation

In a significant development, Lithuanian authorities have announced the arrest of two individuals and the detention of nine others in an ongoing investigation into a €200,000 fraud case. This joint operation between Lithuanian law enforcement and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) has been ongoing for several weeks.

Arrests and Detentions

• Two individuals, whose identities have not been disclosed, have been arrested and are currently in police custody.
• Nine individuals, including Lithuanian and foreign nationals, have been detained on suspicion of being involved in the fraudulent activity.

Details of the Fraud

According to preliminary findings, the suspects exploited weak points in EU financial regulations:

• Over €200,000 was illegally taken from the EU budget through false invoices.
• Complex schemes involving multiple EU countries were used to carry out the fraud.

Collaboration with the EPPO

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), an independent EU institution, has been closely collaborating with Lithuanian authorities throughout the investigation:

• The EPPO is tasked with investigating, prosecuting, and preventing financial crime.
• This case marks one of the larger seizures made under the EPPO’s mandate in recent months.

Support from the European Commission

• The European Commission has been informed of the investigation.
• The European Commission has expressed its full support for the actions taken by Lithuanian authorities and the EPPO.

Precedent and Reporting Channels

The investigation is expected to set a strong precedent for further combating financial crimes within the EU:

• Anyone with information regarding suspected financial crimes, particularly those involving EU funds, is encouraged to report it through the EPPO’s designated channels.