Brussels – Fraud amounting to 6.4 million euros against the European Union budget: three people have been convicted in Italy for embezzlement of EU funds earmarked for the development of Italy’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) network. The Court of Padua has brought a legal conclusion to an investigation launched by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) and conducted by the Guardia di Finanza in Venice and Rome.
Between 2016 and 2021, a consortium company received 6.4 million euros in European funding under the CEF funding for major networks for the management and promotion of various projects relating to the construction and operation of natural gas refueling infrastructure near ports. However, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office notes that “EU funds were used to pay individuals without the appropriate technical skills, to finance activities unrelated to the projects, and to cover personal expenses.” Of the 6.4 million, approximately 5.58 million were diverted from their intended purposes.
This is why two directors and one employee of the company under investigation have been convicted. The convicted individuals were handed down prison sentences ranging from 1 year and 8 months to 6 years and 2 months. The Italian judges also ordered the seizure of 1.97 million euros. As part of the same investigation, two other suspects entered plea bargains before going to trial.
For Italy, the investigation reveals a missed opportunity to secure its energy supply, as the funds provided by the European Union were intended to support the transition away from traditional marine fuels and included, among other things, the development of prototypes for liquefied natural gas containers. Today, with the LNG supply under pressure, it would have been helpful for the country to have had the infrastructure in place.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
