Suspicions of “tens of millions of euros” in ‘purchasing racket’
More than 300 inspectors from PJ judicial police, Porto’s Public Prosecutor’s Office and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office are searching the University of Porto, and the headquarters of INEM (the state institute for emergency medicine) this morning (see update below).
The news is being reported by CNN Portugal which claims the swoop is focused “fighting corruption and fraud in obtaining subsidies from the PRR (Plan for Recovery and Resilience) worth several million euros”.
According to CNN, a number of heads of private companies selling computer systems as well as leaders of state institutions are involved.
The scheme is said to have damaged the state and the European Union to the tune of tens of millions of euros.
Among those targeted are senior executives from the University of Porto.
Regarding INEM, CNN refers to searches at both the headquarters in Lisbon, and INEM’s training centre.
UPDATE:
Six people have been arrested on suspicion of corruption and fraud in the acquisition of computer systems by universities and public schools funded by the PRR (Plan for Recovery and Resilience).
According to the PJ, those arrested are an administrator, three employees of a technology company, an employee of a utilities company and a civil servant.
The six are suspected of having been part of an “organised and systemic criminal scheme to illegally obtain privileged information in public and private contracting procedures, by handing out financial and non-financial advantages to employees of the contracting entities”.
At stake are contracts worth at least €20 million.
In a press release, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office states that the investigation is related to “projects for the acquisition of computer systems by a university and public secondary schools, in projects financed by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR)”.
