An entrepreneur in Vienna has been sentenced to 22 months in prison after allegedly issuing 1,041 false invoices under Austria’s repair bonus scheme.

The sentence, which is not yet final, stipulates that at least six months must be served.

Under the Reparaturbonus program, broken electrical appliances or other household items can be taken to participating companies for repair. The business can then submit the invoice and recover 50% of the costs on behalf of the customer.

The Viennese entrepreneur is accused of having obtained over €160,000 through fraudulent invoices, despite no repairs being done.

The Reparaturbon is administered by the Ministry of Climate Protection, with funding coming from a €130 million pot provided by the European Union. As a result, the accused is alleged to have acted against the financial interests of the EU.

This case has prompted the involvement of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, marking the first time it has initiated proceedings in Vienna.