Swedish Government And Finance Executives Get Defensive, Draft Team Of International Law Firms To Defend $4.2 Billion Money Laundering, Corruption Lawsuit

Sverige - English

• Sverige - Svenska

Swedbank and Its CEO, Folksam, Swedish Tax Authority, Financial Supervisory Authority and Their Director Generals Among Defendants In Lawsuit Versus Vinacossa Enterprises

NEW YORK, May 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Two Swedish government agencies – equivalent to the IRS and SEC in the United States – have hired an exclusive international law firm to try to fend off accusations of their central involvement in a $150 billion money laundering scheme. The Swedish Tax Authority and the Financial Supervisory Authority, along with the heads of those agencies – have enlisted the global law firm White & Case to defend them in a $4.2 billion RICO lawsuit against them by Vinacossa Enterprises, among others.

The parties face a June deadline to file initial motions in the case brought by whistleblower Victor Carlström, a leading global financial broker who discovered gross financial malfeasance by many of Sweden's leading banks and government agencies. The case resides in the Southern District of New York.

"When people think of Sweden, they think of blond, blue-eyed people driving Volvos to Ikea and eating meatballs for dinner, but they don't see is the vile web of corruption and financial crimes which regularly occur there," said New York Attorney Lawrence Schoenbach, who is representing Carlström, along with attorney Joshua Dratel. "Thankfully, we now know about the widespread corruption in Sweden. It's cost Victor everything and almost his life. We owe him a debt of gratitude, but the Swedish government would rather pile up legal debt to continue to cover up its true nature."

Erik Thedéen, the Director General of the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority, and Katrin Westling Palm, Director General of the Swedish Tax Agency, also retained White & Case to represent them in the lawsuit.

In addition, Swedish insurance giant Folksam has hired a team of lawyers from the law firm of Cravath Swaine & Moore. Jens Henriksson, the former Folksam CEO and current head of Swedbank in charge of cleaning up a separate money laundering scheme, has hired Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan. Swedbank has also retained the same firm.

"The defendants have drafted a lineup of All-Star attorneys and law firms to distract us and defend them from the deepest corruption imaginable," said Joshua Dratel. "They are trying to set up a David-Versus-Goliath battle, but Victor has the strongest weapon in this fight – the truth."

Since discovering widespread corruption, money laundering, bribery and other crimes in the Swedish financial system and government, Carlström has been forced to flee Sweden, first to Dubai, and then to the United States, where he has applied for asylum. There have been numerous death threats and attempts on his life as well. He currently switches locations several times a week.