A former department manager and service leader at construction company Bravida have been convicted for billing electrical work never performed at Skåne University Hospital in Malmö. The department manager received a one-year, four-month prison sentence for instigating serious fraud. The service leader received a conditional sentence and fines for gross fraud.
The criminal activity occurred between 2021 and 2023 according to court documents. The fraudulent billing totaled approximately two million Swedish kronor (about $190,000) overcharged to Region Skåne, the regional healthcare authority.
Authorities discovered the scheme after a whistleblower within Bravida reported the overbilling practices. The whistleblower alerted management to invoices charging for electrical maintenance that was never completed.
This case highlights ongoing challenges in public procurement oversight. Large contracts with private contractors sometimes lack sufficient verification mechanisms to prevent billing fraud.
The conviction comes as Sweden continues addressing corruption in public sector contracts. Proper whistleblower protection remains crucial for exposing financial misconduct in major projects.