Former EU diplomat Mogherini Accused in EU fraud probe
Former EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has been formally accused of procurement fraud, corruption, conflict of interest and breach of professional secrecy, Belgian prosecutors announced Wednesday.
Two other senior officials — a high-ranking College of Europe staff member and a European Commission official — face the same charges.
The three were detained on Tuesday during coordinated raids at the EU diplomatic service in Brussels, the College of Europe in Bruges and their private homes. All were released shortly afterward, with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) noting they are not considered flight risks. Reuters sources identified one of the other suspects as senior EU diplomat Stefano Sannino.
The investigation centers on alleged fraud involving EU-funded training programs for junior diplomats. EPPO stressed that all suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in Belgian court.
Mogherini, who served as the EU’s high representative for foreign and security policy from 2014 to 2019, has been rector of the College of Europe since 2020. The detentions of Mogherini and Sannino — both influential figures in EU diplomacy — have caused shock across Brussels.
