A Green Party politician in Sweden faces charges of money laundering after allegedly receiving funds from victims of romance scams. The politician claims she was deceived into believing the money was for charitable causes, following instructions purportedly from Queen's guitarist, Brian May. The case highlights the vulnerability of individuals to online scams and the complexities of financial crimes.
Swedish Green Party Politician Charged with Money Laundering
Swedish Green Party Politician Charged with Money Laundering
A politician from the Green Party has been charged with money laundering offenses.
In December last year, a woman in her 30s reported being a victim of a romance scam.
She had started chatting with someone she believed to be Chad Robert Kroeger, the frontman of the Canadian rock band Nickelback. She fell in love with him, and he persuaded her to make transfers that eventually totaled 850,000 SEK.
The woman has had a brain tumor and has been cognitively affected by radiation treatment. She is a disability pensioner living in a special housing facility.
Another woman, in her 70s, was contacted on Instagram by a man calling himself "Gabriel," who claimed to be serving as a doctor in Yemen.
After some time, he stated that he was to be transferred to a dangerous city and wanted to quit. He asked for money to pay for a new doctor to take his place and for flight tickets home. He claimed he was arrested in Saudi Arabia after someone planted drugs in his bag. He was released and asked for money for a flight ticket to the UK, where he was again arrested. He was released on bail, and the woman was urged to pay.
It was then that she went to the police. By then, she had transferred 450,000 SEK to "Gabriel."
Money Went to Politician
An 80-year-old man was contacted by an "Eva Anne," who also claimed to live in Yemen. They agreed that she would visit him in Sweden, and he paid for her travel and related expenses. He spent over 28,000 SEK before realizing he was scammed.
The three victims have in common that part of their money, totaling approximately 68,000 SEK, went to a Green Party municipal and regional politician, who at the time of the crimes was also a lay judge in an administrative and migration court.
In two cases, the politician bought cryptocurrency shortly after receiving the deposits. In the third case, the money was paid out to her because her account was closed.
The politician, who is in her 70s, is now charged with three counts of money laundering offenses, alternatively money laundering misdemeanors.
Politician: Instructed by Queen's Guitarist
She denies having criminal intent and claims she was deceived herself. She claims the reason she received money was that she believed it was for charitable purposes.
– I am very voluntarily engaged in all sorts of things, not just the war in Gaza but women's rights issues, vulnerable people. When refugees started coming to Sweden long before 2015, I hid refugees, says the politician in a police interview, and continues:
– And I thought this was a quick way to get money to be able to help.
The woman further states that she received instructions from Sir Brian May, the guitarist in the rock band Queen, who is engaged in animal rights issues, including against fox hunting.
– She says she is in contact with Brian May, guitarist in Queen, who is raising money. For the money he raises, they buy cryptocurrency because it can be used as a means of payment worldwide. And she gets paid for helping, says Martin Tidén, chief prosecutor at the special prosecutor's office, who led the investigation.
It is not clear from the investigation whether the politician actually had contact with the artist.
Unaware of the Source of the Money
The evidence includes the politician's correspondence with the bank, which asked questions about her transactions.
– It shows that she does not know where the money comes from, but she has had to ask about it. And then the bank notes that it is a typical example of a case that raises suspicions of money laundering, says Martin Tidén.
How likely is it that she was actually deceived?
– I have charged her with an intentional crime, alternatively money laundering misdemeanors. We will see what she says in court, and how the court assesses the fact that she did not know where the money came from.
The woman was relieved of her duties as a lay judge at the beginning of August. In the documents for the upcoming municipal council in her home municipality, there is a case about her dismissal. She has also requested to leave her position in the region. Otherwise, she does not want to comment further on the case.