EU Funding Control, VAT Fraud and Curaçao Gambling Networks Exposed

Brussels wants to take EU funding away from mayors, which could deepen regional divides and fuel support for the far right.

Centralizing Authority in Brussels

For nearly 40 years, the European Union has distributed these funds directly to poorer regions to help them catch up economically.

Under the proposed changes, Brussels wants to bring much more of that money under central control. Commission insiders indicate the policy shift could grant European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen greater control over the wider EU budget.

Fueling Far-Right Opposition

Investigative reporting from Follow the Money highlights the political risks of this centralization.

Exposing Financial Crime and Tax Evasion

The funding debate forms part of a broader investigative briefing published by Follow the Money. The weekly update also highlights the launch of Off the Books, a new monthly newsletter by journalist Salsabil Fayed focusing on financial crime, tax evasion, money laundering, and regulatory efforts.

The first edition examines Europe’s persistent value-added tax (VAT) fraud problem, ongoing UN tax convention debates, and the cross-border work of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Derailing Green Energy in Namibia

Journalist Olivier van Beemen traveled to Namibia to examine a multi-billion-dollar green hydrogen project backed by EU funds, reporting that the initiative is currently derailing despite initial promises to power European climate goals and create local jobs.

Secretive Curaçao Gambling Networks

Leaked documents obtained by a hacker have exposed a secretive network of thousands of online gambling sites operating out of Curaçao.

The files indicate that regulators on the Caribbean island are ignoring warning signs regarding mysterious ownership while granting licenses rapidly. One analyst cited in the reporting stated that Curaçao’s new gambling laws are failing miserably.