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Contribution crimes continue to rise, according to recent figures Aftonbladet has read.
The authorities also link the crimes to clans and families.
– We can see that there are family networks that use the assistance allowance, says Thomas Falk, national coordinator against organized crime at the Swedish Social Security Agency.
Försäkringskassan is one of several authorities involved in an effort against organized crime. Recent figures Aftonbladet has read show the authority sees significantly more cases of alleged subsidy offenses linked to organized crime this year compared to before.
– In 2020, we have already reached the levels we had last year, which were then the highest we have had. Linked to organized crime, we had recoveries, damages and avoided payments of approximately SEK 100 million, says Thomas Falk.
Photo: MICKAN PALMQVIST
Thomas Falk, national coordinator of the Swedish Social Security Agency’s work against organized crime.
The presumed crimes with the assistance allowance are overrepresented in the statistics. These can be, for example, “role assistants”, that is, people who do not actually work for the user but for whom criminals still manage to receive compensation.
Criminal clans make a living from subsidy crimes
There are also cases where disabled people are brought to Sweden so that criminals can apply for grants on their behalf, according to police.
– In the worst case, it can lead to some not receiving the assistance to which they are entitled, a form of negligence. It is the worst form of crime, says Thomas Falk.
Photo: Gorm Kallestad / TT
According to the police, it has happened that criminals took disabled people to Sweden.
The authorities that are collaborating on the initiative will publish a report later this fall with more detailed information on the violations of the grant. Among other things, they have analyzed various groups where crimes occur. Thomas Falk can already say that there is reason to believe that the so-called criminal clans, or families he prefers to speak of, support themselves with profit crimes.
– We see that there are family networks that use the welfare subsidy. If they are then among the 40 of whom the deputy chief of the national police speaks, I do not know, says Falk.
Photo: Johan Nilsson / TT
Policeman
Sophisticated design
Assistance scammers try to keep crime within as small a circle as possible, so it’s not surprising that families and relatives are among the criminals, says Falk.
– The criminal approach is sophisticated and seems correct on paper. This is a resource-intensive crime and difficult to investigate, he says.
Why is it increasing?
– It has been an uptrend for a while. I would like to add that just because there are large sums, there don’t have to be many cases. An individual case can cost a lot of money.
How do you stop this?
– Försäkringskassan analyzes deviant behaviors to find, for example, attendance fraud. In the most serious cases, we collaborate with the other eleven authorities included in the initiative. To find out if an assistant is not with their patient, we need recognition, and only crime prevention authorities can.
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