Bold claim: A former EU top diplomat is at the center of a fraud probe linked to how funds were used, signaling potential upheaval in Europe’s diplomatic circles. Federica Mogherini, who once led the EU’s external policy, faces accusations amid an EU-wide inquiry into the misuse of financial resources.
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) announced that searches took place on Tuesday at the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium — an institution led by Mogherini at the time — and at the European External Action Service (EEAS) in Brussels, where she oversaw the bloc’s diplomatic machinery for five years.
The probe concerns EU-funded training programs for junior diplomats, the EPPO stated. In addition to Mogherini, a senior College of Europe official and a high-ranking European Commission official were detained. The EPPO described the charges facing the three individuals as including procurement fraud, corruption, conflict of interest, and breaches of professional secrecy.
All three were subsequently released after authorities determined they did not pose a flight risk, and investigators conducted searches at their residences.
Belgian law permits arrest followed by release without formal charges, while suspects remain under investigation. The EPPO indicated the inquiry centers on a 2021-2022 procurement tender awarded by the EEAS to the College of Europe, with investigators reporting strong suspicions of favoritism related to a nine-month training program for junior diplomats.
The EPPO, which prosecutes offenses affecting the EU’s financial interests, has not disclosed the identities of the individuals detained. It did note that immunity for several suspects had been lifted as part of the ongoing inquiry.
The College of Europe functions as an independent institution that trains future EU civil servants and maintains close ties with the EU, receiving partial funding from the bloc.
