The European Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation into alleged misuse of funds by Identity and Democracy, a now-defunct far-right European Parliament group.

An EPPO spokesperson did not provide further details. No individuals have been charged at this point.

The official investigation follows a confidential internal audit by the European Parliament administration, obtained and published in early July by media outlets Le Monde, Die Zeit and Kontraste, which found irregular spending by ID-affiliated parties amounting to more than €4 million. 

This included alleged inflated and fictitious contracts, violations of procurement procedures and donations for non-parliamentary activities to groups — including a non-profit in France that sterilizes cats — linked to politicians in the ID group.  

Philip Claeys, the group’s former secretary-general, denied any wrongdoing last week, saying that all the payments were “duly invoiced and justified.” 

The ID group in the previous European Parliament term featured far-right and nationalist parties such as France’s National Rally (RN) and the Alternative for Germany. 

Earlier this year, RN leader Marine Le Pen was found guilty of embezzling European Parliament funds in a separate case, making her ineligible to run for French president. She is currently appealing the decision.