Police Move Toward Completing Fresh OPEKEPE Fraud Investigations
Greek police are nearing the end of investigations into three additional criminal groups suspected of securing agricultural subsidies through fraudulent means. Authorities advanced their inquiries following earlier operations that began in 2025 after a major raid on OPEKEPE offices revealed the activity of two other groups in Giannitsa and Crete.
Investigators indicate that the latest cases are approaching closure, with new arrests expected in the near future under fast track procedures. Officers focused the first case on a ten member group from Heraklion, Crete, whose members are connected through family ties. Reports suggest that between 2019 and 2024 this network obtained approximately €400000 in subsidies using falsified E9 declarations and questionable land claims.
Sources familiar with the inquiry note that the individuals allegedly declared land not only in Crete but also in other regions, relying on forged documentation. Their tax identification numbers had previously been frozen due to fraud concerns, yet they were later unfrozen after 2023. A specific Declaration Submission Center remains under scrutiny as well, as it may be linked to a recently jailed agricultural unionist accused of orchestrating large scale fraud against OPEKEPE.
The second case centers on a four member family from Trikala and a related legal entity that reportedly secured €906000 by inflating the number of livestock they claimed to own. Police sources emphasize that those involved appear to be livestock breeders rather than crop farmers, highlighting the alleged manipulation of animal counts to obtain higher payments.
The third investigation involves a 73 year old woman from Kozani and two close relatives who received €1.5 million in subsidies. OPEKEPE initially froze the funds, but an internal review later determined the case complied with regulations, resulting in the release of the payments.
Police may also move to seize property belonging to two agricultural unionists currently participating in protests, as their subsidy declarations reportedly contain irregularities that warrant further examination.
