Police Propose Charges against Several People over Illegal Pandemic Aid

Bratislava, 17 April (TASR) - An investigator from the anti-corruption unit of the Police Corps Office for Combating Organised Crime (UBOK) has concluded an investigation into the suspected misuse of financial grants during the COVID-19 pandemic and filed a proposal to press charges against several individuals, the police have reported on a social network. "According to our findings to date, in the period between June and August 2021, four accused individuals, employees of the Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Office in Pezinok (Bratislava region), were allegedly misusing the 'First Aid' system designed to help employers to retain jobs during the pandemic," stated the police, adding that the damage caused by the accused exceeded €571,000. According to the police, they allegedly acted in concert by illegally submitting applications for financial grants on behalf of fictitious companies or companies set up for this purpose. In many cases, according to the police, these were ready-made companies using frontmen or non-existent directors who had no knowledge of the submitted applications, which weren't even submitted in a lawful manner via the slovensko.sk website and contained false data. The companies had no employees and didn't fall under the Pezinok labour office's jurisdiction. The police noted that the funds were credited to bank accounts that were identical for multiple applicants. After being credited, the funds were allegedly immediately transferred to other accounts in Slovakia and abroad, or withdrawn in cash. The accused face criminal prosecution for subsidy fraud committed in complicity. "The case has pointed to serious failures in control mechanisms during a crisis period, as well as a sophisticated method of misusing public funds at a time when they were meant to protect jobs and support the economy," added the police. jrg/df