Police detain former EU foreign policy chief Mogherini in fraud probe
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Belgian police have detained former EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and senior diplomat Stefano Sannino as part of a major fraud investigation involving the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the College of Europe. Three suspects were taken into custody on Tuesday as officers carried out coordinated searches in Brussels, Bruges and several private residences, acting on requests from the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO).
The probe centres on alleged corruption in the creation of the EU Diplomatic Academy, a programme for junior diplomats overseen by the College of Europe and directed by Mogherini since August 2022. Investigators suspect that rules on fair competition were breached during the tendering process, with concerns that the college may have been given advance access to the selection criteria.
The EEAS administrative offices on Rue d’Arlon were temporarily evacuated during the raids, with staff instructed to leave doors and cabinets unlocked. The investigation, launched before Kaja Kallas assumed leadership of the EEAS, concerns activities from the previous EU mandate.
The EPPO confirmed it had successfully requested the lifting of diplomatic immunity for several suspects, though it did not disclose their identities. The European Commission declined to provide further details while the inquiry remains ongoing.
