• Former EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini charged with fraud and corruption.
• She was among three individuals detained in a fraud investigation related to EU-funded training programs.
• The investigation is being led by the European Public Prosecutor's Office.
• All detainees have been released as they are not considered flight risks.
• The case raises concerns about the EU's credibility amid ongoing corruption challenges.

Former EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has been formally accused of procurement fraud, corruption, conflict of interest, and violation of professional secrecy as part of an ongoing investigation by the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO). Mogherini and two others were detained following raids at the College of Europe in Bruges and the European External Action Service (EEAS) in Brussels, according to Reuters, AA, BBC, Le Monde, and LA Times.

The EPPO noted that the investigation centers on suspected fraud linked to EU-funded training for junior diplomats. This scrutiny arises from a tender awarded by the EEAS to the College of Europe for a nine-month training course conducted between 2021 and 2022, involving a contract worth approximately €650,000. Following their detainment and questioning, all three individuals were released with no perceived flight risk, emphasized the EPPO in their statements, according to Reuters and LA Times.

Mogherini served as the EU's high representative for foreign affairs from 2014 to 2019 and has led the College of Europe since 2020. Her arrest comes amid wider concerns regarding corruption within EU structures, echoing previous scandals that questioned the integrity of European institutions. The College of Europe has pledged to fully cooperate with the ongoing investigation, further highlighting the necessity of maintaining standards of integrity and transparency within EU academia, according to BBC, Le Monde, and AA.

The inquiry, which is being conducted on the instructions of the EPPO, aims to address potential biases in the tendering process that could undermine trust in the EU's governance, as stated by multiple sources. The allegations have sent shockwaves through the European diplomatic community and raised significant questions about the EU's commitment to upholding ethical standards, as reported by Reuters, LA Times, Le Monde, and BBC.