Eight people have been detained in Poland as part of an investigation into suspected fraud involving EU funds intended to support digital innovation.
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Warsaw said on Friday it is investigating suspected subsidy fraud, corruption and abuse of office linked to the award of EU funding under the “Fast Track – Digital Innovation” competition, financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
The organisation said the eight individuals were detained and informed of the charges against them, and that 10 searches were carried out at suspects’ homes and workplaces.
The case concerns alleged irregularities in the selection and implementation of projects funded under the 2022 “Fast Track – Digital Innovation” call, which was managed by Poland’s National Centre for Research and Development.
It was initially handled by the Regional Prosecutor’s Office in Warsaw before being referred to the EPPO after a report by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).
Alleged influence over grant assessment
A public official involved in evaluating applications is suspected of improperly influencing the assessment and selection process, breaching principles including impartiality, transparency and equal treatment, the EPPO said.
One application that received the highest grant — about €28.9 million (PLN 123 million) — is alleged to have included forged documents and artificially inflated personnel costs, according to evidence gathered so far. The proposed project also could not realistically have been delivered within the timeframe set by the competition rules.
A second public official linked to the intermediary body responsible for awarding the grants is suspected of actively supporting the application.
All suspects have been charged and placed under non-custodial preventive measures, according to the EPPO, which said investigative steps were supported by Poland’s Central Anti-Corruption Bureau.
All those concerned are presumed innocent until proven guilty in the competent Polish courts, the EPPO said.
