Portuguese Police Raids Uncover IT Services Corruption

Portuguese police conducted raids on Thursday at public institutions, including the Bank of Portugal, as part of a corruption investigation into IT services contracts from 2017-2025. The probes target employee activities rather than high-ranking officials, with suspicions of corruption, document forgery, and fraud within deals worth 17 million euros.

On Thursday, Portuguese police executed a series of raids targeting public institutions across cities such as Lisbon, Porto, and Braga. The Bank of Portugal confirmed its involvement in the investigation into alleged corruption in IT service acquisitions.

The authorities are probing service contracts between 2017 and 2025 involving multiple public entities and private firms. Allegations include active and passive corruption, document forgery, and influence peddling, with transactions valued at approximately 17 million euros.

According to the police statement, the investigation primarily focuses on employees suspected of orchestrating corruption, as opposed to high-ranking public officials or political decision-makers.

(With inputs from agencies.)