site.btaSofia City Court Convicts Company Manager after European Public Prosecutor’s Office Investigation

The Sofia City Court (SCC) has found a company manager guilty following an investigation by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Sofia. The sentence was handed down under a plea agreement in a case of subsidy fraud involving funds from the European Social Fund and national co-financing, amounting to a total of EUR 66,750.

The SCC sentenced the defendant to 11 months’ imprisonment, suspended with a three-year probation period, and imposed a fine of more than EUR 500. The ruling is final and not subject to appeal.

The fraud is linked to the submission of false information by the company manager and an accomplice acting as project manager to Bulgaria’s Labour and Social Policy Ministry in order to obtain funding intended to support sustainable employment opportunities.

In 2021, the company signed a contract with the Labour and Social Policy Ministry in its capacity as Managing Authority of the Operational Programme Human Resources Development 2014-2020, aimed at providing job opportunities, vocational training and qualifications for people wishing to enter or re-enter the labour market.

The investigation revealed that in 2021 and 2022 numerous forged signatures and falsified employment contracts were produced to create the impression that the project’s objectives were being fulfilled. These documents were subsequently submitted as part of the financial and technical reports required for the final payment.