European Anti-fraud Office

European Union anti-fraud investigators suspect Greece and Hungary may have become the main EU centers of a multi-million-euro scam involving imports of Chinese clothing and footwear that uses the infrastructure of China's new "Silk Road".

European Union and Italian authorities are investigating suspected wide-scale tax fraud by Chinese criminal gangs importing goods via Greece's largest port of Piraeus, a trade gateway between China and Europe, officials said.

Romanian anti-graft prosecutors froze the assets and accounts of nine people on Tuesday.Among them was ruling Social Democrat Party, PSD, chief Liviu Dragnea, who has been under lengthy investigation for fraud involving EU funds by the European Anti-Fraud Office, OLAF.

A corruption prosecutor has charged a construction company belonging to the Bobolas family with money laundering and fraud to the tune of 50 billion euros in connection with the construction of a highway in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

The European Union has suspended funding to a non-government organization (NGO) aiding refugees in Greece pending an investigation into allegations of sexual exploitation and financial corruption, a spokesman for European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides has said.

Giovanni Kessler, the head of EU anti-fraud authority OLAF, has had his immunity from prosecution lifted, EU authorities have confirmed.

He is to be inquired by Belgian authorities in relation to a lobbying scandal dating back to 2012 in which he is suspected of involvement for unlawfully recording a phone conversations.

Bulgaria and the European Anti Fraud Office (OLAF) will deepen their cooperation in countering corruption and fraud.

This was agreed at a meeting between Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and OLAF Director-General Giovanni Kessler in Sofia on Monday.

Bulgaria is third in the EU by investigations into the use of EU funds concluded in 2014, according to an annual report of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).

Indications were determined in 2014 of fraud affecting the financial interests of the EU with an estimated 53 million euros, advisor with Romania's Fight Against Fraud Department (DLAF) Alina Neagoe said on Thursday.

Photo credit: (c) OLAF website

The European Parliament announced March 9 that it had alerted anti-fraud investigators to possible financial irregularities committed by France's far-right National Front (FN) party over salaries paid to EU parliamentary assistants.