The FNTT carried out searches at the Agricultural Advisory Service

The Financial Crime Investigation Service (FNTT) is conducting a pre-trial investigation into possible credit fraud and document forgery in connection with applications for agricultural advisory services funding. As part of the investigation, searches were carried out at the Lithuanian Agricultural Advisory Service (LŽŪKT) and more than 100 witnesses were interviewed, according to the FNTT.

It is suspected that some of the applications were submitted to the National Paying Agency in the names of individuals without their knowledge or consent.

According to the FNTT, the Lithuanian Agricultural Advisory Service (a public institution) submitted the applications under the intervention measure “Advisory Services” of the 2023–2027 Strategic Plan under the intervention measure ‘Advisory Services’.

It is estimated that 1,431 applications were submitted under this support measure in 2025, with the total amount of support requested exceeding 2.5 million euros.

An investigation is underway into possible document forgery, which has caused very significant damage, and credit fraud. The pre-trial investigation is being led by the Kaunas Regional Prosecutor’s Office.

Gintas Saulius Cironka, head of the LŽŪKT, told the news portal lrt.lt that officers from the Financial Crime Investigation Service (FNTT) had visited the agency’s premises this year, but did not specify which departments were involved or when this took place.

“We’ve had these sorts of things happen in more than one office this year, so to speak. The officers are just doing their job; they pop in from time to time – there’s nothing unusual about that,” – the agency’s director told the website.

The Lithuanian Agricultural Advisory Service is a public institution providing advice to farmers and rural entrepreneurs.