OPEKEPE scandal: 15 arrests on the island of Crete

Police on the island of Crete arrested on Friday a total of 15 people as members of a “criminal organization” that has illegally received 1.7 million euros through the the national agency OPEKEPE that distributed EU farm subsidies. An unknown number of people has been also detained.

Among those arrested are reportedly accountants, lawyers, farmers as well as the president of a farmers’ cooperative.

According to initial information, this is a dismantling of a criminal organization that was active in criminal fraud, illegally receiving subsidies from OPEKEPE through false or fictitious declarations. Police sources report that this is an operation involving the dismantling of a criminal organization with the participation of 42 people, 15 of whom are considered key members.

According to the same sources, accountants, lawyers and farmers participate in the criminal organization. One leading member is allegedly the president of an agricultural cooperative who is also a union member.

Right after the arrests, members of ruling New Democracy and main opposition PASOK of the parliamentary committee investigating the OPEKEPE scandal were quick to claim that the said man was affiliated with PASOK leader Nikos Andoulakis – so ND-, while PASOK claimed he was a well-known local official of ND.

It is noted that the period under investigation concerns the years from 2019 to 2025 and the amount of illegal subsidies reaches 1.7 million euros.

The criminal organization has reportedly operated out of the village Archanes near Heraklio, the the president of the cooperative and members of his family have been arrested.

The big OPEKEPE scandal currently under investigation by the European prosecutor has led to delayed subsidies payments to farmers and livestock breeders who have staged dynamic protests across Greece.