Former Czech Prime Minister Babis acquitted again in a $2 million fraud case
PRAGUE (AP) — A Prague court has acquitted for the second time former Prime Minister Andrej Babis of fraud charges in a $2 million case involving European Union subsidies. Babis had pleaded not guilty. The prosecution can still appeal the verdict. It had requested a three-year suspended sentence and a fine to be paid by the populist billionaire. The case centered around a farm, which received EU subsidies after its ownership was transferred from the Babis-owned Agrofert conglomerate of around 250 companies to Babis’ family members. Later, Agrofert again took ownership of the farm. The subsidies were meant for medium- and small-sized businesses and Agrofert wouldn’t have been eligible for them.