EPPO investigating EUR 6 bln in damages and Chinese mafia involvement in Romania, European prosecutor says

The total value of the damages investigated in 2025 by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office in Romania is EUR 6 billion, and some cases involve serious damages in VAT fraud of more than EUR 10 million, European prosecutor Cătălin Borcoman said in an interview with Libertatea.

The bulk of fraud cases, according to the prosecutor, with Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) funds concern regional and urban development or rural development.

Two cases, one concerning the harvesting of reeds in the Danube Delta and another concerning the purchase of school minibuses in Romania using European funds, are under criminal investigation, he said.

In one of the two cases, “a whole series of investigations have been carried out, including searches. We will probably see more details in the coming period, when criminal proceedings are initiated against certain persons. (...) There are no suspects at this point, but charges will probably be brought in the coming months,” the European prosecutor stressed.

At the same time, Borcoman said that Romanian authorities “continue to suffer from a lack of transmission of information or referrals to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office.” The fault is especially evident when it comes to the Port of Constanța, where authorities suspect that the “Chinese mafia” is active.

“We have information originating from a very large investigation conducted in connection with the activity of the Chinese mafia in the port of Thessaloniki, information that also concerns criminal activities taking place in Romania,” the prosecutor said, refraining from giving away further information.

According to the European prosecutor, EPPO has started receiving certain referrals from the National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF), as European prosecutors also deal with VAT fraud with cross-border components, involving damages of more than EUR 10 million.

However, Borcoman said, no referral was made in connection with the Port of Constanța, although there is “data that there may be components of the Chinese mafia in that port as well.”

The European prosecutor also said EPPO investigators have begun, following referrals, to examine military procurements made with European funds by some member states, including Romania.

Overall, Romania remains one of the main points of interest for the EPPO.

“In terms of the number of cases, 10% are in Romania, not necessarily in terms of the damage. For fraud taking place in Romania, the total value of the damages under investigation is EUR 6 billion, but the number of cases is very high,” Cătălin Borcoman told Libertatea.