College of Europe Rector and former Commission VP Federica Mogherini quizzed amid fraud accusations

Federica Mogherini, rector of the College of Europe and a former Vice-President of the European Commission, was detained for questioning on 02/12/2025 by Belgian police as part of an investigation into an alleged fraud involving a contract for an EU diplomatic training academy.

Mogherini, who was foreign minister in Italy, was held and questioned along with another high-ranking Italian former EU official, Stefano Sannino, and a third person. The three were later released as they were not considered a flight risk.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), which announced that the two had been detained, said that the accusations involved procurement fraud and corruption, conflict of interest and violation of professional secrecy.

The investigation, initiated by Belgian police at the request of the EPPO, is looking into whether a public tender awarded by the European External Action Service (EEAS) in 2021-22 to a higher education institution to host the EU Diplomatic Academy was rigged in favour of the College of Europe.

Mogherini served as High Representative of the Union for…