False million purchases of spruce cones - one is convicted of accounting violations

Two men, 41 and 57 years old, were indicted in July for a variety of financial crimes. Together they had started a company in Kalmar county that aimed at home decor. One idea was to sell pine cones to large department stores.

In the accounts, the company reported purchases of cones for more than SEK 3 million - but the invoices were false. The approximately 15,000 fir cones found by the Swedish Tax Agency when they visited the company should instead have been collected by schoolchildren.

The 57-year-old has now been convicted of accounting violations and the aggravation of tax control for conditional judgment and fines.

The 41-year-old - who is considered the main man in the case - is suspected of both serious fraud and money laundering. He must undergo a forensic psychiatric examination before the trial involving him can continue. That investigation is expected to be completed by August 30.

In addition to the two men, a woman aged 20 has been charged with money laundering. But she is considered by the Kalmar District Court not to have known about the criminal activity and the charge against her is left unsuccessful.