Per Jodenius, a former press secretary in the Liberal youth wing, LUF, was convicted of data trespass and incitement to data trespass. He was fined 120 days wages, totalling 3,600 kronor. Former Expressen journalist Niklas Svensson was convicted of data trespass and fined 40 days’ wages, totalling 8,000 kronor. Niklas Sörman, an official in Social Democrat youth movement SSU, was fined 60 days’ wages, totalling 9,000 kronor.
The attempts by officials at Liberal headquarters to access the Social Democrats’ internal network was revealed on September 3rd, two weeks before the general election.
Jodenius had been given the log-in details be Niklas Lagerlöf, a former regional chairman of LUF in western Sweden. Lagerlöf was given the details by SSU official Sörman.
Jodenius admitted almost immediately that he had logged in to the network and resigned. His resignation was followed by that of Johan Jakobsson, who had a critical role in the Liberals’ election campaign. Jakobsson admitted that he had known about the illegal log-ins since March.
The scandal led to weeks of negative headlines for the party as polling day approached.
Johan Jakobsson released a statement welcoming his acquittal.
“The affair surrounding Per Jodenius’ data trespass has been unpleasant for all those dragged into it. Now that the verdicts have been delivered, the Liberal Party, SSU and LUF can move on. There has been a legal investigation into who committed offences, and they have been punished. Now I too can leave this behind me, acquitted and with my name cleared,” he said.
Liberal Party Leader Lars Leijonborg’s spokesperson said Leijonborg would not be making a comment on the verdicts, saying that as a cabinet minister he could not comment on legal cases.
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