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Influencer MEP Fidias to address embezzlement allegations

EU lawmaker and YouTube influencer Fidias Panayiotou will address allegations that he is being investigated by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office for embezzlement, the lawmaker said in a statement to POLITICO.

Cyprus’ anti-corruption authority complained to EPPO about the lawmaker using EU funds to rent a luxury property in Limassol and declaring it his political office, according to a report in the Cypriot press.

Panayiotou’s office told POLITICO: “Throughout the entire process of establishing his parliamentary office in Cyprus, all applicable rules were fully respected, and the setup was approved through the European Parliament MEPs’ Portal.”

The lawmaker said he has not been officially notified of the EPPO investigation and will “of course, release a video addressing each accusation in detail.”

Panayiotou, who is widely known by his first name, Fidias, was voted into the European Parliament in 2024 as an independent lawmaker. Panayiotou documents his life as a politician in YouTube videos aiming to explain the inner workings of EU institutions. His videos have been praised by tech mogul and X-owner Elon Musk.

EPPO “does not comment on ongoing investigations, nor do we publicly confirm which cases we are working on,” a spokesperson said. “This is in order not to endanger the possible ongoing procedures and their outcome.”

The Luxembourg-based EPPO is tasked with rooting out criminal abuse of EU money.

Cyprus’ anti-corruption authority did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

LP Staff Writers

Writers at Lord’s Press come from a range of professional backgrounds, including history, diplomacy, heraldry, and public administration. Many publish anonymously or under initials—a practice that reflects the publication’s long-standing emphasis on discretion and editorial objectivity. While they bring expertise in European nobility, protocol, and archival research, their role is not to opine, but to document. Their focus remains on accuracy, historical integrity, and the preservation of events and individuals whose significance might otherwise go unrecorded.

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