Six persons – three physicians and three pharmacy employees – have been arrested suspected of aggravated fraud and attempted aggravated fraud after Region Stockholm stopped erroneous payments amounting to 25 million Swedish kronor following the uncovering of extensive criminality. This is reported by Fria Tider.
One of the physicians registered himself as a patient 1,000 times and in that manner managed to obtain half a million from the taxpayers.
“When we discovered the suspected fraud, we immediately halted the payments to the pharmacy in question. We also contacted the police authorities and have provided information to the Swedish Medical Products Agency (Läkemedelsverket) and the Health and Social Care Inspectorate (Inspektionen för vård och omsorg), which are responsible for supervising pharmacies and healthcare organisations respectively,” says Johanna Mattsson, coordinator against welfare crime, in a press release.
The suspects have been remanded in custody by Stockholm District Court (Stockholm tingrett), suspected of aggravated fraud.
One of those remanded in custody is a middle-aged female physician who runs a successful practice in Vasaparken in Stockholm. The remaining suspects are immigrant physicians or pharmacists. Fria Tider writes that all except one have Arabic names.
“This is an example of good cooperation between the police and the region. Through cooperation and exchange of information, we increase the ability of the police and others to intervene against suspected welfare crime in the healthcare sector,” states Anders Ahlsson, Director of Health and Medical Care in Region Stockholm.
Region Stockholm states that the work against social security offences (trygdelovbrudd) has been intensified in 2025, inter alia through data analyses to uncover deviant invoicing.
The arrested physicians and pharmacists deny having done anything wrong. One of those involved operates a successful pharmacy in the Göteborg area.
If they are convicted, they risk up to six years’ imprisonment.
Sveriges kriminelle omsetter for nesten en milliard kroner hver dag
Welfare fraud has become a very serious problem in Sweden. At the beginning of 2026, the criminal economy in the country generated nearly one billion Swedish kronor every day, according to a research report.