Two individuals and a company have been convicted of fraud in a French court after EU subsidies were claimed for a fictitious cattle farm.

The conviction followed an investigation and prosecution by the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) in Paris.

The couple, who are based in Corsica, had falsely declared that they were operating a cattle farm in order to secure EU agricultural subsidies.

In total, the couple received €263,000 from France's public agricultural payments agency (ASP).

Fraud

One of the defendants was also convicted of forgery and use of forged documents after submitting false invoices to the Corsican Office for Agricultural and Rural Development.

This organisation is responsible for paying part of the agricultural aid in Corsica.

The Paris Criminal Court recently sentenced one of the defendants to one year's imprisonment, suspended for three years, and the other to six months' imprisonment, also suspended.

Both defendants were ordered to reimburse the ASP for the financial damage caused.

They were also banned from carrying out farming activities for three years and from standing for election for two years.

The company was ordered to pay a fine of €10,000, half of which was suspended.

The defendants have 10 days to appeal, with the judgment becoming final if no appeal is lodged.

The EPPO is the independent public prosecution office of the European Union.

It is responsible for investigating, prosecuting, and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU.