European prosecutors charge four Greek lawmakers

European prosecutors in Athens charged twenty-two people on Thursday, including four active lawmakers and former government officials, over a major agricultural corruption scandal.

Authorities discovered that managers at Greece's national farm agency systematically altered official records and manipulated inspection results to steal European Union financial aid.

The accused lawmakers and political staff allegedly pressured those agency leaders to falsify documents and approve illegal payments during 2021.

If convicted of the charges, the defendants face up to five years in prison alongside heavy financial penalties for their roles in the network.

Prosecutors confirmed that active investigations are still continuing against three former lawmakers and several other suspects for similar financial crimes in other years.