# EU Prosecutors Raid Far-Right Group Offices in €4.3 Million Funding Probe

> The European Public Prosecutor's Office searched offices of the 'Patriots for Europe' group in Brussels and Strasbourg today as part of an investigation into its predecessor's alleged misuse of approximately €4.3 million in EU funds.

By PrimaryBrief newsroom · Published 2026-10-21T17:21:52.098809Z
Canonical: https://primarybrief.com/article/eu-prosecutors-raid-far-right-group-offices-in-4-3-million-funding-probe-2045667b

European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) investigators conducted raids at the European Parliament offices of the far-right 'Patriots for Europe' (PfE) political group in Brussels and Strasbourg on October 21, 2026, in connection with an ongoing probe into the alleged misuse of approximately €4.3 million ($5 million) in public funds by the group's predecessor [1][4][5][6]. The searches primarily target the now-defunct Identity and Democracy (ID) group, which PfE insists it has no legal continuity with [1][6].

This investigation involves significant public funds allocated to political groups, raising questions about accountability and oversight within European institutions. Allegations of misuse by far-right groups have led to calls for stricter scrutiny from anti-corruption watchdogs and other political figures [7][8].

## What the records show

The EPPO's investigation, which formally began in July 2025, centers on allegations that the ID group misappropriated about €4.3 million ($5 million) in EU funds between 2019 and 2024 [4][6]. These funds were reportedly spent on fictitious contracts, irregular tenders, and directed towards associations linked to far-right figures [4]. Reports indicate that a significant portion of this money allegedly went to an advisor to Marine Le Pen, leader of France's National Rally, and the advisor's spouse [4][6].

This is not the only financial scrutiny facing the far-right bloc. A financial audit in June 2026 reportedly found that the 'Patriots for Europe' group itself misspent almost €280,000 (over €270,000) in 2024 [7][8]. This alleged misuse included donations to non-EU-level organizations and breaches of procurement rules, with contracts awarded to companies linked to their national party members [8]. Following this, Transparency International EU (TI EU) submitted a complaint to the EPPO in July 2026, urging an investigation into the €276,000 alleged misuse by the PfE [8]. Nick Aiossa, Director at Transparency International EU, stated in July 2026 that the repeated misuse of EU taxpayer money by far-right political groups is unacceptable [8].

## The timeline

In March 2024, Marine Le Pen was found guilty by a French court for misusing EU funds related to fake parliamentary jobs during her time as a Member of the European Parliament [4]. The Identity and Democracy group ceased to exist in July 2024 [4][6]. The European Public Prosecutor's Office formally opened its investigation into the ID group's alleged misuse of funds in July 2025 [4][6]. In June 2026, a financial audit reportedly identified that the successor 'Patriots for Europe' group had misspent nearly €280,000 in 2024 [7][8]. Transparency International EU subsequently lodged a complaint with the EPPO in July 2026 regarding these findings [8]. On October 21, 2026, EPPO conducted raids at the 'Patriots for Europe' offices in Brussels and Strasbourg [1][6].

## What the group says

The 'Patriots for Europe' group publicly announced the raids on its X account, stating that the searches were linked to the complaint lodged against the Identity and Democracy group [6][10]. The PfE group maintains it has "no legal continuity" with the ID group and is therefore "not involved in the ongoing investigation" concerning its predecessor [1][6][14]. Jean-Paul Garraud, an MEP and head of the National Rally delegation, confirmed on X that the searches specifically targeted "the offices of former ID staff members" [6][14]. Garraud expressed frustration, suggesting that authorities were prioritizing this investigation amidst domestic unrest in France [6]. The EPPO confirmed the searches as part of "an ongoing investigation into the use of European funds by a former political group," but declined to provide further details [6].

## What we could not confirm

PrimaryBrief could not confirm the specific individuals whose offices were searched during the raids beyond the general reference to "former ID staff members" [6][14]. The exact destination of all allegedly misspent funds from the ID group, beyond reports mentioning an advisor to Marine Le Pen and their spouse, remains unconfirmed [4][6]. No specific charges against individuals have been publicly announced by the EPPO [6].

## Evidence cited
1. Raids at far-right group's offices at European Parliament (www.dw.com) — https://www.dw.com/en/raids-at-far-right-group-s-offices-at-european-parliament/a-79724631?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
2. Prosecutor searches far-right group offices in EU Parliament (www.politico.eu) — https://www.politico.eu/article/patriots-european-parliament-office-search-eu-funds-mismanagement/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS_Syndication
3. Police raids took place this Wednesday in the European Parliament. (ground.news) — https://ground.news/
4. EU prosecutors probe defunct far-right EU Parliament group linked to Le Pen (aa.com.tr) — https://aa.com.tr/
5. EU prosecutors on Wednesday searched offices belonging to the far-right Patriots parliamentary group as part of a graft probe into the bloc's dissolved predecessor, Identity and Democracy, which brought together several European far-right parties. (inbox.eu) — https://inbox.eu/
6. The far-right European Parliament group of French presidential frontrunner Marine Le Pen's party said Wednesday EU prosecutors were searching its offices as part of a graft probe into its now-defunct predecessor. (newagebd.net) — https://newagebd.net/
7. Illegal donations, missing tenders, falsified contracts: Repeated violations of European Parliament rules by the far-right “Patriots for Europe” group have been confirmed in a financial audit. The group must now repay over €270,000 in misused funds from its 2024 spending. (danielfreund.eu) — https://danielfreund.eu/
8. European Parliament must refer alleged misuse of €280,000 by far-right Patriots for Europe group to EPPO (transparency.eu) — https://transparency.eu/
9. It appears that the Patriots for Europe group in the European Parliament have been involved in receiving questionable donations and awarding contracts without a bidding process. Apparently they adopted these financial practices from their predecessor, the Identity and Democracy group. (table.media) — https://table.media/
10. EU prosecutors raid far-right Patriots for Europe offices in European Parliament (arabnews.com) — https://arabnews.com/
11. European Parliament staff offices linked to Patriots were searched in an investigation into the former Identity and Democracy group's possible misuse of EU funds. (ua.news) — https://ua.news/
12. EU prosecutors on Wednesday searched offices belonging to the far-right Patriots parliamentary group as part of a graft probe into the bloc's dissolved predecessor, Identity and Democracy, which brought together several European far-right parties including French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen's National Rally. (inbox.lv) — https://inbox.lv/
13. The European Public Prosecutor's Office has raided the European Parliament offices of the Patriots for Europe far-right political grouping, which includes France's National Rally (RN) party, the political group said on Wednesday. (tradingview.com) — https://tradingview.com/
14. Far-right Patriots for Europe group offices raided in EU Parliament fraud probe (euronews.com) — https://euronews.com/
15. EU prosecutors raid right-wing bloc over funds (theweek.com) — https://theweek.com/
16. Brussels 15/07/2025 - The Patriots for Europe Group firmly rejects the politically motivated and unfounded accusations that have started by left-wing Members of... (patriotsforeurope.eu) — https://patriotsforeurope.eu/
17. Misuse of taxpayers' money: EPP & co. shield far-right Patriots from meaningful consequences (greens-efa.eu) — https://greens-efa.eu/
18. The European Prosecutor's Office raids the offices of the far-right 'Patriots for Europe' in the European Parliament (democrata.es) — https://democrata.es/