A joint report by the Swedish Social Insurance Agency and the National Police Operations Department (NOA) has exposed alleged connections between organised crime and the Swedish welfare system.
According to the report published on April 22, an estimated four out of 10 users have “interacted” with personal assistants involved in, or linked to, criminal networks.
The investigation, conducted by the Swedish authorities, focused on payments from the Social Insurance Agency to about 62,000 individuals who were allegedly either active criminals or associated with criminal organisations.
In Sweden, private assistance companies offer services ranging from personal care and support for individuals with disabilities or chronic conditions to private investigation and legal services, among other things.
Of the 699 private assistance companies examined, the report said 83 were found to have close ties to organised crime, with all of the 62 largest assistance companies having employees with connections to organised crime.
Notably, it said 89 per cent of all users whose companies were under investigation were allegedly associated with firms employing personal assistants with criminal connections.
The report further claimed that between 2022 and 2023, criminals exploited the welfare system by misusing assistance payments, accumulating more than 300 million Swedish krona (€2.7 million) in debts to the Social Insurance Agency.
Although the companies involved often appeared legitimate on the surface with proper accounting and healthy financials, the investigation alleged they actively engaged in criminal practices, including failing to deliver promised assistance, coercing employees into repaying wages and even falsifying documents from doctors and care professionals.
In response to the findings, the Swedish Government has launched an investigation into welfare crime within the personal assistance sector, with results expected by January 8, 2027.
Speaking to Swedish media, Sara Persson, a crime prevention specialist with the Swedish Economic Crime Agency, which did not participate in the research, said the care sector industry was vulnerable in her country.
“The potential for significant financial gain makes it an attractive target for criminal activity,” she added.
According to the Social Insurance Agency, the presence of organised crime in the assistance industry would have consequences for both users and society.
“This means, among other things, that people in vulnerable situations are neglected and that disabled people are used as tools of crime,” it said.
“Compensation that is incorrectly paid can be used to finance other criminal activities, thus a double damage to society,” it added.
After over 30 explosions and several fatal shootings in the first month of the year, the Swedish government admitted the country was suffering from a new wave of violence over which it had no control. https://t.co/m0bclCg2ks
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