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SWEDISH JOBS AGENCY SCANDAL

CORRUPTION

Conflict of interest probe tars jobs agency chair

The chairwoman of the Swedish Employment Agency (Arbetsförmedlingen) board, which last week publicly mutinied against the CEO, runs a company that has taken contracts from the agency and received more public money than it was entitled to.

Published: 26 August 2013 16:01 CEST
Conflict of interest probe tars jobs agency chair

Christina Johansson refused to respond to the news agency TT’s questions on Monday if wearing two hats posed a potential conflict of interest.

The Moderate politician and businesswoman instead sent an SMS to the reporter explaining that the company she runs, Rinman Education, had not taken contracts from the Employment Agency since she took over its reins.

Swedish authorities, meanwhile, asked that Rinman Education pay back 369,000 kronor ($57,000) in state financing (statsbidrag), after misstating the number of course participants in an industrial design programme run under its remit. The company now has one month to pay back the six-figure sum.

The design course took place in the small town of Hällefors, in central Sweden Hällefors municipality, where Johansson is deputy chief of the council board and owns 46 percent of Rinman Education.

The Employment Agency has dominated headlines in Sweden over the past few days after its board complained in public about CEO Angeles Bermudez-Svanqvist’s management. The labour minister asked the CEO to step down this weekend.

TT/The Local/at

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CORRUPTION

Barçagate: Police raid FC Barcelona offices and arrest former president

Police raided the offices of FC Barcelona on Monday, carrying out several arrests just six days ahead of the club's presidential elections, a Catalan regional police spokesman told AFP.

Published: 1 March 2021 13:06 CET
Barçagate: Police raid FC Barcelona offices and arrest former president
Barcelona's former president Josep Maria Bartomeu is among the arrested. Photo: Josep Lago/AFP

Spain's Cadena Ser radio said one of those arrested was former club president Josep Maria Bartomeu, who resigned in October, along with CEO Oscar Grau and the club's head of legal services.

But the police refused to confirm names, saying only “arrests are taking place” and adding that the operation was being run by officers from the financial crimes unit.

“We are in the process of carrying out an operation right now with agents of the financial crimes unit,” the police spokesman told AFP.

According to reports in the Spanish media, the operation is linked to last year's investigation into the 'BarçaGate' scandal, which saw the club deny hiring a company to criticise current and former players on social media to improve the image of the then-president Bartomeu.

Cadena Ser said Barca paid €1 million in six separate invoices to the company I3 Ventures, with whom the club have since cut ties.

Bartomeu resigned in October, after mounting pressure following months of controversy and a dramatic decline in performances on the pitch.

His successor is due to be elected on Sunday, when club members will choose between the final three candidates, Joan Laporta, Toni Freixa and Victor Font.

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