Former EU top diplomat among three held in fraud investigation

Belgian police have arrested three high-profile individuals, including former European Union top diplomat Federica Mogherini, as part of an investigation into suspected fraud related to EU-funded training for junior diplomats. The arrests were made at the headquarters of the EU foreign service and the College of Europe in Bruges, with police also carrying out searches at several other locations.

According to sources, Mogherini, who currently serves as rector of the College of Europe, was among those detained. Two others from "diplomatic circles" were reportedly arrested over possible procurement fraud, corruption, and conflicts of interest. Stefano Sannino, a former EU external action service secretary general, was also named as one of the suspects.

The investigation is believed to be centered on whether the College of Europe and its representatives had advance notice of the tender for the training program before its official launch. The European public prosecutor's office (EPPO) has stated that it has "strong suspicions" that the rules on fair competition were breached, with confidential information allegedly shared with one of the candidates.

The EPPO confirmed that an ongoing investigation is taking place into the activities of the three suspects during their previous mandate. However, details about the specific allegations against them remain scarce. The College of Europe has stated its commitment to transparency and compliance, but did not comment further on whether Mogherini had been arrested.

This high-profile case marks an unprecedented investigation by the EPPO, which is tasked with combating cross-border fraud involving EU funds. If the allegations are proven true, those involved could face severe penalties, including imprisonment.

this whole thing just smells fishy to me... like they were getting all these EU training programs and then suddenly "forgot" where they got 'em from or something but at the same time, if it is true that some of these people had access to confidential info before the tender closed, that's definitely a big no-no

i think we need more context here though... like who else was involved? was it just Mogherini and Sannino or were there others in on it too?

omg this is wild federica mogherini a former eu big shot just got arrested over suspected fraud i mean i know some ppl might say she's guilty till proven innocent but still it's crazy to think that someone in her position could be involved in something like this. and the college of europe being implicated is a total red flag i hope eppo gets to the bottom of this investigation tho

this just got crazy - three big names like Mogherini and Sannino getting arrested for potential graft? it's gotta be investigated further, but 3 suspects already and no one's saying anything? what's the rush here? is this a case of "you scratch my back, I'll make your EU funding happen" or something more sinister? need to see some receipts (or at least sources) before i start believing the allegations...

this whole thing is super weird, like who knew EU-funded training for junior diplomats was such a hotbed of corruption? Mogherini's got a rep as a straight shooter, and now she's in the middle of this mess... you'd think she'd be able to steer clear of stuff. But I guess even the most well-intentioned people can get caught up in it. The fact that Stefano Sannino is involved too is weird, 'cause he was part of the EU side for years, you know?

anyway, I'm just waiting to see how this all plays out... if the EPPO is right, and there's actually some serious wrongdoing going on here. It's not like they're trying to make a mountain out of a molehill or anything. But at the same time, if people are getting in over their heads, that's no good either...

I guess what I'm saying is, we'll just have to wait and see how this all gets resolved...

I'M SO SICK OF THESE KINDS OF SCANDALS! IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT WHEN PEOPLE IN POWER ARE CAUGHT UP IN FRAUD AND CORRUPTION. I MEAN, FEDERICA MOGHERINI IS A RESPECTED FIGURE IN THE EU, BUT NOW SHE'S BEEN ARRESTED OVER SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITIES? IT'S LIKE, HOW FAR DO YOU HAVE TO FALL BEFORE SOMEONE TAKES ACTION?! THE COLLEGE OF EUROPE NEEDS TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON AND WHY MOGHERINI WAS RELEASED. I HOPE THIS INVESTIGATION LEADS TO SOME SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES FOR THOSE INVOLVED. IT'S TIME TO HOLD PEOPLE IN POWER ACCOUNTABLE!

This whole thing smells like a lot to me... 3 top EU people arrested for suspected fraud? It's gotta be investigated properly before jumping to conclusions. I mean, think about it - if Mogherini was rector of the College of Europe and got arrested, what does that say about her reputation? And what about Stefano Sannino? He was like a big shot in EU diplomacy... this is huge.

But here's the thing: we don't know all the facts yet. I'm not saying anyone's guilty or innocent - just that we need to hear both sides before making any judgments. The EPPO needs to release more info about what they're alleging and how they came up with these "strong suspicions". And what about the College of Europe? They're trying to spin this as a commitment to transparency, but we'll believe it when we see it.

This case might be big, but it's also a lot of noise. Let's keep our heads down and let the investigators do their thing.

I'm seeing a lot of people getting all worked up about this and it's making me wanna say chill out guys! The EPPO is trying to do its job here, investigating suspected fraud related to EU funds. It's not like they're just going around targeting anyone with "diplomatic circles" . This investigation could potentially lead to some serious accountability if the allegations are true.

But what really gets me is how this whole thing started. Apparently, there were concerns about a tender process for junior diplomat training and who got the inside scoop on it beforehand... It's like a big game of office politics, but with EU funds at stake .

I'm not saying anyone's innocent here, but let's keep an open mind and wait for more info before jumping to conclusions . We need to see how this investigation unfolds and if the EPPO finds any concrete evidence of wrongdoing. Fingers crossed!

OMG this is like something straight out of a soap opera!!! I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that someone as respected and high-profile as Federica Mogherini is being accused of something like this... it's just so shocking! I mean, I know everyone's guilty of something at some point, but this is on a whole other level. And the fact that the investigation is into possible procurement fraud, corruption, and conflicts of interest? That's just not okay . I'm rooting for Mogherini to come out clean and show that she's innocent until proven otherwise. Fingers crossed !

OMG, this whole thing just got super interesting . I feel bad for Federica Mogherini tbh, she's been doing some awesome stuff for Europe, and now this? It's like, one big misunderstanding? I mean, who hasn't miscommunicated a time or two in their job, right? And it's not like she's the first person to get in trouble over politics... I'm sure there are plenty of other examples out there. Anywayz, I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens next .

this is a clear case of cronyism and corruption - I mean, think about it, you have top EU officials and diplomats allegedly getting away with sharing confidential info to gain an unfair advantage in the tender process... it's like they thought they were above the law . And now, we're hearing that the College of Europe is claiming transparency and compliance , but let's be real, when there's money involved, people get caught up in their own interests . It's not about fighting corruption, it's about protecting power structures . The fact that this investigation is being led by the EPPO is a good start, but we need to see some real accountability from those in power . This case could be a game-changer for EU transparency and reform, but we'll have to wait and see if there are any consequences for those involved .

Can you believe it?! These super powerful people who are supposed to be all about fairness and transparency were allegedly cheating on some sweet EU training programs? Like, we're talking about people who have been entrusted with making big decisions for the entire continent... and they get caught up in some petty procurement fraud?

And can you imagine the amount of money that's at stake here?! If this investigation pans out, it's not just a slap on the wrist for these folks - it could be serious prison time. Like, we're talking about actual consequences for their actions.

I'm curious to see how this all plays out, but one thing's for sure: if the allegations are true, it's gotta be super disappointing for anyone who was expecting more from these big players in EU politics

The recent arrests of Federica Mogherini and others in connection with suspected fraud related to EU-funded training for junior diplomats raises significant concerns about accountability and transparency within European institutions . The investigation's focus on potential breaches of fair competition rules and the alleged sharing of confidential information highlights the need for robust internal controls and oversight mechanisms . As rector of the College of Europe, Mogherini's involvement in this scandal could potentially undermine trust in academic and professional networks . It is crucial that the European public prosecutor's office conducts a thorough investigation to determine the extent of any wrongdoing and ensures that those responsible are held accountable .

This whole thing smells fishy to me. Like how did they even get close to breaking the rules? Was it really that easy for some people to slip through the cracks? I'm not saying anyone's guilty yet but come on EU... you're supposed to be the land of transparency and fair play! What kind of message are we sending when high-profile people can just get away with this kinda stuff?

This whole thing just feels like a mess. I mean, I'm not saying these people are definitely guilty or anything, but come on... a former EU diplomat, arrested for suspected fraud? It's just too convenient. And what about all the red tape and bureaucracy involved in something like this? It's easy to imagine someone getting caught up in a complex web of rules and procedures without even realizing it.

I'm also a bit concerned about the potential motives behind this investigation. Is this really just about catching bad guys, or is there more to it than that? I've heard some whispers online that this might be part of a larger pattern of abuse of power by EU officials... but we'll have to wait and see if those rumors turn out to be true.

One thing's for sure: if the allegations are proven true, these people could face serious consequences. But let's not jump to conclusions just yet

omg can u believe this? federica mogherini and all these other diplomats r in trouble like, what's next? r they gonna arrest everyone at eu headquarters? it's just too much drama. i mean, who knew they were even doing fraud on eu funded programs? i'm not saying she's guilty or anything (yet), but come on people can make mistakes right? let's not jump to conclusions here... and btw, what's the big deal about procurement fraud? r it really that serious?

I'm low-key surprised this didn't happen sooner. Like, who needs that kinda power? The EU foreign service's just a fancy way of saying "bureaucratic red tape" But seriously though, if there's even a hint of fraud going down in a program meant to train junior diplomats, it's a huge deal. I'm all for transparency and accountability. It's not like they're above the law or anything The College of Europe just needs to be more open about what's going on instead of playing dumb

so this is like a big deal in europe right? where did all these corruption scandals come from like how can people who work for eu just do that to each other? federica mogherini seems really connected to the college of europe, but was she involved in something shady? what's going on with stefano sannino too? how long have these guys been suspected of this stuff? and i'm curious, how does eu public prosecutor's office even get to investigate these people? is it like a separate entity or part of the regular police force?

I'm so shocked about this EU diplomat scandal ! I mean, I knew that corruption can happen anywhere, but to have it involve someone like Federica Mogherini? It's just crazy! As a parent, you want your kids to be honest and fair, and it sounds like these diplomats might have crossed that line.

I'm curious about the investigation and how it all went down . Was there a cover-up or was it just a mistake? I hope the European public prosecutor's office gets to the bottom of this and holds those responsible accountable . It's a great reminder for us parents to teach our kids about integrity, transparency, and doing things the right way. Let's hope these diplomats learned something from their mistakes .

I mean what even is this?! Three people who were basically running a training program for junior diplomats and now they're being accused of messing everything up? It's like the entire system is just one big joke. And to think that it involves some high-profile person like Mogherini... I feel bad for her, she's always been super respected in diplomatic circles. But at the same time, if there's even a hint of corruption, then she should be held accountable too.

And can we talk about how messed up this whole procurement process is? Like, who gets to decide on these things and how do they ensure that everyone follows the rules? It sounds like some people might have been getting paid off or something. I don't know, it just seems fishy to me...

I'm not sure what's more frustrating, the fact that someone could potentially get away with this kind of thing or that the system is so broken that we even need an investigation in the first place. But I guess that's why we have laws and stuff, right? To make sure that everyone plays by the rules... most of the time anyway