Six people have been arrested in Poland as part of an investigation into a religious group accused of fraudulently diverting €3.7 million ($4.33 million) worth of EU-funded food aid intended for refugees and the homeless, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) said Tuesday.
The group received 2,500 tonnes of food under the EU’s 2021–2027 European Funds for Food Aid Program, co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus. It also received more than €500,000 ($584,892) in EU funds to cover administrative, storage and transport costs through Poland’s National Agricultural Support Centre (KOWR).
According to the EPPO, the suspects forged signatures and created false documents to claim subsidies while selling part of the food to retail outlets in Poland and abroad. To recover damages, authorities froze real estate worth €350,000 ($409,424) and company shares valued at €117,500 ($137,450).
