Yugoslav corn scandal

The Yugoslav corn scandal (Greek: σκάνδαλο του γιουγκοσλαβικού καλαμποκιού), also known as Greek maize, was a political corruption scandal in Greece between 1986 and 1990. A total of 20,000 tons^[iii] of corn was imported from Yugoslavia in 1986 and falsely labeled as Greek through forged documents. The corn was then exported to other European Economic Community (EEC) countries, allowing the fraudulent claim of $1.5 million in EEC subsidies intended for domestic Greek corn. The state-owned company International Trade Company (ITCO), a government-controlled entity responsible for managing agricultural trade, played a key role in facilitating the fraudulent shipments. After the EEC initiated an investigation, Greek government officials were involved in efforts to cover up the scheme. In 1989, Greece was fined over $3.8 million by the European Court of Justice. Investigations by the Greek Parliament followed, leading to a trial in Greece in 1990, where six individuals, including a deputy minister, were convicted for their involvement.