The EU's former foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, has been accused of fraud as part of an EU investigation into the misuse of funds, the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) has said.
The EPPO stated that searches were carried out on Tuesday at the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium, where Ms. Mogherini is currently heading, as well as at the European External Action Service (EEAS) in Brussels, the office she managed for five years as the bloc's top diplomat.
The investigation is centered around EU-funded training for junior diplomats. According to the EPPO, a senior staff member from the College of Europe and a senior official from the European Commission were also involved. All three individuals were formally notified of the allegations concerning procurement fraud, corruption, conflict of interest, and violation of professional secrecy.
The three were released after not being deemed a flight risk, though their homes were also searched. Belgian law permits individuals to be detained and released without charges while they remain suspects.
The investigation specifically looks into a tender that the EEAS awarded to the College of Europe during 2021-2022, with the EPPO noting 'strong suspicions' of favoritism regarding this training contract.
The EPPO, which serves to investigate alleged crimes against the financial interests of the EU, has not disclosed the names of the individuals detained but noted that the immunity of several suspects has been lifted for this investigation.
The College of Europe is a respected institution that trains aspiring EU civil servants and is supported in part by the EU itself.
