"The Waste Queen" in court for Think Pink scandal

Think Pink was paid to sort waste, but instead the company dumped hundreds of thousands of tons of waste at 21 locations in Sweden, claims the prosecutor. Now the trial of Sweden's largest environmental crime has begun. At the center is the company's CEO Bella Nilsson, known as the "Queen of trash".

» Updated: October 08 2024

» Published: September 03 2024

"The Waste Queen" in court for Think Pink scandal
Photo: Henrik Montgomery/TT

What is described as Sweden's largest environmental scandal has finally landed in court, as the nearly 100-day-long main hearing in the Think Pink scandal began on Tuesday at Attunda District Court in Sollentuna.

Eleven people are charged in the case, but it was the CEO, known as Bella Nilsson, the face of now-bankrupt Think Pink, who was the clear main person of the day.

Does not answer questions

Wearing a pair of large, dark sunglasses, she arrived last at the court, and a small commotion ensued as photographers and journalists pushed to get to the so-called "Waste Queen."

Nilsson, who has since changed her name, did not answer any questions, instead pushing away the reporters' microphones and entering the courtroom.

Like the other ten, she denies any wrongdoing.

Among the other defendants are Bella Nilsson's former husband Thomas Nilsson, with whom she founded the company, and TV profile Leif-Ivan Karlsson.

The eleven defendants are suspected of being behind the illegal dumping of hundreds of thousands of tons of waste at 21 locations in central Sweden between 2015 and 2020. The waste, mainly construction and demolition waste, was supposed to be sorted but was instead crushed and left in piles or buried, according to the indictment.

The waste has been left near water protection areas, unprotected stormwater drains, residential areas, and protected coastal areas.

During Tuesday's hearing, the prosecutors presented aerial photographs of several of the sites, showing Think Pink's pink garbage bags sticking out here and there in the vast waste collections.

As you saw, there are enormous amounts of waste at some of the sites, says prosecutor Lise-Lotte Tegler to TT after Tuesday's hearing.

Threat to the environment

The waste has been hazardous both for the environment and for human health.

There are already contaminations in soil and water from these large waste facilities. Over several years, this can lead to harm to both humans and animals, or forever in some places, says Tegler.

She does not want to comment on what the prosecution will be seeking in terms of punishment, but emphasizes that it is not a matter of fines for any of the eleven.

This is a very serious environmental crime, and for that, we have imprisonment in the penalty scale.

Extensive damages are also being sought against the defendants in the case. According to TV4 News, the total amount is 262 million kronor.

The charges against the eleven people in the Think Pink scandal are the largest environmental crime case to have landed in a Swedish court. The preliminary investigation consists of around 50,000 pages.

The locations covered by the charges are in 15 municipalities. These are Botkyrka, Eskilstuna, Flen, Gullspång, Haninge, Huddinge, Håbo, Laxå, Norberg, Norrtälje, Skövde, Strängnäs, Uppsala, Västerås, and Östhammar.

Five of the defendants are suspected of gross environmental crime. Four of these are also suspected of economic crime.

One person is charged with aiding and abetting gross environmental crime, and the remaining five in the case are suspected of environmental crime of a normal degree.

Further reading

Tags

TTT
By TT - Translated and adapted by Sweden Herald

More news

Stockholm Security Guard Stabbed, Man
1 MIN READ

Stockholm Security Guard Stabbed, Man Arrested After Midnight Attack

Summer Arrives Early in Parts
1 MIN READ

Summer Arrives Early in Parts of Sweden

Malmö Evacuation Ends as Suspicious
1 MIN READ

Malmö Evacuation Ends as Suspicious Object Deemed Harmless

Easter Partygoers Slammed with Sky-High
1 MIN READ

Easter Partygoers Slammed with Sky-High Parking Fines

Woman Killed in Skellefteå Crash
1 MIN READ

Woman Killed in Skellefteå Crash After Car Veers Off Road

Silent Suffering: Neglect of Small
3 MIN READ

Silent Suffering: Neglect of Small Pets Like Rabbits and Guinea Pigs Often Goes Unreported

Paraglider Crashes in Åre, Sweden;
1 MIN READ

Paraglider Crashes in Åre, Sweden; Rushed to Hospital

New Rules for Farm Sales
3 MIN READ

New Rules for Farm Sales Spark Criticism Over Hangover Threat

Body Found in Burnt-Out Rental
1 MIN READ

Body Found in Burnt-Out Rental Car in Northern Stockholm

Genre image
3 MIN READ

Most Swedish Teens Consume Too Much Sugar, Experts Warn

Two Arrested in Klippan for
1 MIN READ

Two Arrested in Klippan for Suspected Explosive Goods Crime

Man Stabbed in Västerås Brawl
1 MIN READ

Man Stabbed in Västerås Brawl Involving 20 People

Man Found Dead in Jämtland;
1 MIN READ

Man Found Dead in Jämtland; Police Investigate Suspected Murder

Woman Charged for Allegedly Spreading
1 MIN READ

Woman Charged for Allegedly Spreading Cockroaches in Malmö Apartment

Man Arrested for Attempted Murder
1 MIN READ

Man Arrested for Attempted Murder of Ex-Wife in Sollentuna

Teen Boys Hospitalized After A-Tractor
1 MIN READ

Teen Boys Hospitalized After A-Tractor Collision in Blekinge

Suspect Arrested in Stockholm for
1 MIN READ

Suspect Arrested in Stockholm for Alleged Crime Preparation

Two Detained in Gothenburg Double
1 MIN READ

Two Detained in Gothenburg Double Murder Investigation

Suspect Detained After Explosions Rock
1 MIN READ

Suspect Detained After Explosions Rock Trollhättan

Sweden's Cardinal Arborelius: A Humble
5 MIN READ

Sweden's Cardinal Arborelius: A Humble Voice in Catholic Leadership

Human Remains Discovered in Freezer,
1 MIN READ

Human Remains Discovered in Freezer, Suspect Detained in Sweden

Climate Activists Allegedly Fly Drones
1 MIN READ

Climate Activists Allegedly Fly Drones at Landvetter Airport

Fredrick Federley Enters Church Election
1 MIN READ

Fredrick Federley Enters Church Election in Västerås Diocese

Chocolate's Shelf Life: Why It
3 MIN READ

Chocolate's Shelf Life: Why It Lasts Longer Than You Think

Proposal to Rename Arlanda Airport
1 MIN READ

Proposal to Rename Arlanda Airport to Alfred Nobel Airport Gains Support

Man Arrested in Connection with
1 MIN READ

Man Arrested in Connection with Suspected Rape at Stockholm Nightclub

Stem Cell Trials Offer New
2 MIN READ

Stem Cell Trials Offer New Hope for Advanced Parkinson's Treatment

Fire Destroys Barn, 30 Animals
1 MIN READ

Fire Destroys Barn, 30 Animals Lost; 170 Rescued Nearby

Police Nationwide to Tackle Sugar
1 MIN READ

Police Nationwide to Tackle Sugar Dating with New Proactive Measures

Explosion in Central Stockholm Damages
1 MIN READ

Explosion in Central Stockholm Damages Building, No Injuries Reported

Explosion Damages Malmö Apartment Door,
1 MIN READ

Explosion Damages Malmö Apartment Door, No Injuries Reported

Teen Receives Medical Attention After
1 MIN READ

Teen Receives Medical Attention After Dog Bite in Linköping

Woman Convicted for Cracking Egg
1 MIN READ

Woman Convicted for Cracking Egg on Daughter's Head in Live Stream

Man Fined for Explosion Caused
1 MIN READ

Man Fined for Explosion Caused by Attempt to Deep-Fry Chili Cheese

Fire at Gothenburg Refinery Injures
1 MIN READ

Fire at Gothenburg Refinery Injures Three, One Seriously

Climate Activists Arrested on Malmö
1 MIN READ

Climate Activists Arrested on Malmö Airport Runway