Dentists suspected of swindling millions through fake visits

According to the indictment, the clinics have requested reimbursement for 6,200 patient visits that never took place between 2021 and 2022. In this way, SEK 7.8 million has been paid out in incorrect dental care grants from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency to the clinics.

"We see this as a very serious crime, it is a threat to the system and our welfare system is being exploited," says Ann Lidén, public prosecutor at the Swedish Economic Crime Authority.

The clinics are suspected of having searched for people who did not use their dental care allowance and exploited their identities. In all cases, these are elderly people scattered around the country who often did not discover that their benefits had been used.

Many visits on Christmas Eve

Many of the visits have also been reported at odd hours, such as weekends and holidays. Among other things, Christmas Eve 2021 where compensation was received for 37 patients who should have visited the clinic during the afternoon.

"Eleven of them were 96 years of age or older at the time of the alleged visits," says prosecutor Ann Lidén.

The suspects are in custody and have denied any wrongdoing during the investigation. The indictment also includes aggravated accounting offences and aggravated money laundering offences in which money from the suspected crime was invested in a restaurant. In addition to the proceeds of crime, the prosecutors will demand a corporate fine of SEK 7 million.

The Swedish Social Insurance Agency: "It's good that they're being prosecuted"

Every year, the Swedish Social Insurance Agency claims back around SEK 400 million in incorrectly paid dental care subsidies. In a small proportion of these, the authority suspects that it is a case of deliberate fraud.

The clinics in question that are the subject of the indictment have previously been reclaimed and suspended from the system.

"It's extremely serious and a completely unacceptable abuse of the dental care system, so we're happy, it's good that they're being prosecuted," says Joakim Rådeström, area manager for dental care at the Swedish Social Insurance Agency.