Danish lawmaker acquitted of EU funds fraud

A right-wing Danish lawmaker was acquitted Wednesday of misusing European Union funds worth 98,835 kroner ($14,105) and falsifying documents.
A Copenhagen court found Morten Messerschmidt, who heads the once powerful Danish People’s Party, not guilty of making false statements about holding an EU conference in 2015 in order to receive EU funding. He maintained his innocence throughout his trial.
Messerschmidt said after the verdict, “This means a lot. The case has cast long shadows over the Danish People’s Party and me as a politician for seven years and a few months.”
Danish prosecutors have not indicated whether they would appeal.
Messerschmidt served in the European Parliament at the time of the alleged crimes. He received more personal votes than any other Danish candidate in the 2014 election for the EU legislature and campaigned on a promise to combat alleged EU fraud.