Businesspeople close to Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos (pictured) allegedly received EU funding through contracts for matters like catering and plumbing | Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images EU watchdog probes possible misuse of refugee funds in Greece Investigation focuses on ‘alleged irregularities concerning the provision of EU-funded food.’

The EU's anti-fraud watchdog is investigating the potential misuse of EU funds meant to provide food for refugees in Greece, a spokesperson for the agency said Tuesday.

The news follows the detention on Saturday of three journalists from Greek newspaper Fileleftheros following a libel suit filed by the country's defense minister about an article alleging mishandling of EU funds meant for reception centers for migrants.

A spokesperson for the European Anti-Fraud Agency (OLAF) declined to go into detail about the investigation or say whether it is related to the newspaper allegations.

The investigation into "alleged irregularities concerning the provision of EU-funded food for refugees in Greece" was launched following information submitted by the European Commission's directorate general for migration and home affairs in 2017, the spokesperson said.

"As the investigation is on-going, OLAF cannot issue any further comment at this stage," the spokesperson said in an email, adding that "the fact that OLAF is examining the matter does not mean that any persons/entities involved have committed an irregularity/fraud."

According to the Fileleftheros article, businesspeople close to far-right Defense Minister Panos Kammenos received some of the EU funding through contracts for matters like catering and plumbing. The newspaper said some businesses routinely overcharged for such contracts and often did not participate in competitive tenders.

Last year, NGO SolidarityNow submitted a petition to the European Parliament asking for a probe into the potential mismanagement of money intended to help refugees in the country. The organization pointed to poor living conditions for refugees and the fact that Greece has received substantial funds from Brussels to improve its asylum system.