EU fraud uncovered four years after staff warning

AN elaborate system of fraud has been uncovered by the European Commission at least four years after employees warned of its existence.

An unknown amount of money was creamed off from contracts awarded to companies by Eurostat, the EU's statistics body based in Luxembourg.

Three of the most senior people in Eurostat, including the French director general, have been moved to other jobs pending further investigations and at least three inquiries are ongoing, including one by the French police.